


The downfall of Mikleo Luray?

by kare_reiko



Category: Tales of Zestiria
Genre: Drama, Health Issues, I can write many tags but those would be spoilers, M/M, Mental Health Issues, Modern AU, Romance, Slow Burn, Strangers to boyfriends, Suicidal Thoughts, brokenleo, fluff will come, sunshine!nurse
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-21
Updated: 2018-08-22
Packaged: 2019-03-07 17:11:20
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 33,720
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13439418
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kare_reiko/pseuds/kare_reiko
Summary: Mikleo was misfortune's beloved one. After years spent in hospital he no longer believes in getting from there alive. At least before his days end he gets chance to make a friend who shares his passions for history. He decides to not waste it.





	1. Chapter 1

The downfall of Mikleo Luray?

 

 

Mikleo was misfortune's beloved one. For first, he was born with the albinism. It wasn't really bad per see but his eyesight wasn't as good as 'normal' people. The heavy glasses were his best friend since he was a small child, helping him to chase away blurriness from the world. Just like his white hair, purple eyes also were abnormal compared to the other kids in his age.  
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He had a fluke to catching infections too. Most of his kindergarten days were filled with fevers, warm bed, uncle Michael stories, his mom's warm milk with honey and his father strong arms to cry in.

 

Parents and uncle Michael... Those three people were the world for little Mikleo. He didn't get well with kids in his small town.

 

Not like they disliked him but how could they play with someone of such frail health? Even after he got used to being called 'snow child' or 'violet-eyed one' Mikleo still wasn't able to play with the other boys in football and girls rather stuck with each other.

 

At least Mikleo wasn't bullied besides those nicknames so his memories of childhood years have been the luckiest he had. Well, at least this was how albino boy recalled them many years later.

 

His elementary school years started without much change. Since he didn't want to skip so much school as he missed kindergarten it wasn't rare for him to sit in school's desk with a slight fever.

Yet, even being sick couldn't stop him this time.

 

He has been excited. This was his chance to learn new things without bothering his family so much. And what was the most important, he could finally learn how to read on his own. This was the biggest wish the small Mikleo had. Small, slim boy was looking forward with a thrill for a moment when he will be able to discover what black letters mean. 

His tiny palms traveled so many times on covers of books his family had at home. Those were his treasures. The best friends when he laid in bed sick and unable to sneak out to help his mother at kitchen while she was making colorful deserts. Until Mikleo went to the school books could only speak to him through his parent's voices or uncle Michael's when man came for a visit. School gave Mikleo a chance to change that.

 

Michael was Mikleo's mom brother and best friend of his dad. Both men shared a love for paper sources of knowledge like Mikleo. The small library Mikleo's family had in the home was their doing.

 

Mikleo's father, Luzrov was the literature professor at the University and his uncle was the professor of history. Michael traveled a lot and when Mikleo was in the first class of elementary school his uncle was about to release his first archeologic book. The little boy loved the days when Michael visited them. He could hear about distant places and dream that one day when he will be more healthy and bigger, they both will go on the exciting journey. Mikleo's mother Muze always smiled gently at their little talks.  
The small boy has been surprised at first when one day he heard their parents talk about how good influence is Mikleo to the other man. It looked like his uncle was rather a lone wolf and he kept walls around his heart high.

 

"Maybe mom and dad are wrong in this matter... Uncle Michael is always so warm and shiny when he talks about history... I can't imagine him cold." The little boy thought in his bed while being drifted away into lands of dreams by gentle voice of his uncle reading story about brave knights.

 

Michael wasn't only one that Mikleo always admired. His father was the coolest man on the earth and there was no woman as pretty as his mother was. She was a hair stylist and she had her salon on the first floor of their home. It was something that she decided to open after her child's birth.

 

"Come on, admit it finally. It was all a long-term-plan to make him hairstylist too?" Luzrov joked to his wife one day after seeing little Mikleo with some plastic scissors playing with one of the practice wigs.

"Oh, I bet you and Michael like him to grow up into history or literature nerd like one of you." Muze patted the man's ass with the broom she held at the moment.

"Guilty, my queen." The man answered kissing his wife's cheek before spinning with her above the floor covered by artificial hairs from newly modeled wigs.

 

Yes, those years were warm and happy.

 

But every happiness has its end. Mikleo's and his family came to the end far too soon.

 

The lavender eyed boy was around eleven when some drunk driver crashed into him and his father while both of them were on their way back from the grocery shop. The terrified face of his father, strong arms pulling him into embrace were the last memories Mikleo had about his father before he fell into darkness. It was only thanks to Luzrov that Mikleo survived that accident.

Maybe it would be better for his mind to stay forever in the darkness. As soon as his eyes opened up in an unknown place he immediately broke into a scream from the pain. His arms bones were broken. Yet, he couldn't feel his also devastated legs. The reason was simple. His spine has been broken too.

 

During the only one day, Mikleo lost his father and all feeling below the waist.

 

Muze, with tears in her eyes, without a break to sort her own feelings, moved between hospital and institutions necessary to bury her husband. Whenever she found a free moment she was beside her suffering child. When she couldn't it was Michael beside the little boy to hold Mikleo's hand.

 

The small child tried to be strong, he really tried. He didn't want to add more hardships to the already devastating situation. Every tear that fell from his mother eyes hurt like his broken body. Yet, he couldn't.

 

He couldn't believe he won't see his beloved papa anymore, this thought still felt like some story from the book. Like it didn't happen to him but to someone else. The part of Mikleo's brain still believed that his father will show up in hospital room's doors to help him, to take the pain away... But Luzrov never came. Instead, his mother's face lost almost all colors, her lavender eyes were red and puffy. The hands that peeled oranges for Mikleo were shaking.

 

"It will be alright Mikleo, it will be alright," she said those sentences over and over while patting his hair like those words could change the reality.

But nothing was alright. Since that day nothing was like it should have been.

 

They won in the court of law and got quite compensation from the man who drove into Mikleo and Luzrov. It was enough for Muze to get the best possible care for Mikleo without losing all their savings. Yet, even with help of the best doctors Mikleo still spent two years in the hospital between surgeries. It took another five years in the wheelchair before Mikleo stood back on his legs once again. Only a few painful steeps which were just a beginning of another long episode of rehabilitation.

 

For five years his whole word were hospitals, surgery pains, Michael's visits, books, private lessons and the room in their home where he rarely returned. It was warmness of his mother's arms what gave Mikleo courage to fight.

 

When Mikleo and his family thought that they will be able to return to normal life, their hopes have been crushed once more.

 

During diagnosis, doctors found out cancer in his body. It was aggressive one that already made metastasis to his liver and lungs.

 

None of the three-member family wanted to believe doctors at first. This time his mother break into cry so open, so painful that Mikleo didn't want to live anymore.

 

„Why him? Why from all people it happens to him? Didn't he suffered enough?" Michael cursed loudly at god and doctors while holding his weeping sister.

Mikleo didn't remember clearly rest of that day. His last memory was how he went on unsteady legs towards the toilet to throw up. While holding white toilet seat he wept loudly afraid of incoming pain.

It wasn't the first time when he longed for death, but such thinking was a disgrace to his mother strains and his father protective arms holding him in the hope he survives. So he didn't have a chance but to do all he could without giving up.

 

Mikleo's fight with cancer started and it drained away the rest of compensation money. Soon his mother sold their home and she moved into Michael small flat. Mikleo, however, started to fully live in the hospital.

 

It was around that time when Mikleo became a friend with a girl who also had cancer, Edna. Just as Mikleo she didn't have friends inside their hospital and even outside of it. All people she got closer with died or already left the hospital and moved on from the sad times, leaving the blue-eyed friend to the past. Sickness and loneliness made Edna cruelly sarcastic. Somehow it made sense why during girl's stay at the hospital the only person who ever visited her was her older brother Eizen.

 

Mikleo also thought she wasn't the easiest person to deal with. She loved to tease him and he hated that, but at the cold lonely nights, when they couldn't sleep, when pain kept them awake, it was easier to sit in calming silence together than alone.

 

It took some time before the girl told Mikleo that her parents abandoned her and Eizen. Around twenty-year-old Eizen tried his best to care for them both but they already had a quite big money dept. It was luck that no one wanted to take sick Edna away from her brother. It looked like the bureaucrats didn't want to complicate their peaceful works by dealing with this matter. Maybe they hoped Edna will die before some of upper social workers start to question her situation.

 

Mikleo's family situation wasn't any better but Michael, after hearing about sibling's story decided to help Eizen in getting a job at the University.

 

The albino boy never really had any friends. Edna was probably the closest person Mikleo could call a friend. Maybe that's why Michael tried his best to help someone else who wasn't his family. Or maybe it was because of Eizen himself. Edna's brother was also a great fan of archeology. He and Michael got along pretty well. So well that sometimes Mikleo was envy of Eizen.

 

Since Mikleo was an inconvenience then it was no surprise that his uncle wanted to share his passion with someone who could get out from hospital's four walls. Who needed a nephew that was on only laying in bed for the most of his life?

 

The lavender eyed boy hated himself for thinking like this. Eizen really loved his sister and not once he helped Muze in matters of tips how to get some refunds or free treatment. At some point five of them felt like family. It was awful for Mikleo to hate Edna's brother because he was jealous.

 

The days went by. For the most time, Mikleo felt really weak. He couldn't even visit his mother and Michael at man's flat for Christmas. Chemotherapy greatly lowered his body natural immunity.

 

„Hey, how about growing your hair longer this time? After chemotherapy ends? I saw many young boys having long hair now. I could make you quite cool tips, I think aquamarine would fit your eyes." Muse said one day after petting his blue bandana.

 

"You really have a thing for long-haired boys? First uncle Michael, then dad and now me." Mikleo teased. There were years when they couldn't recall his father this way. Not until he and his mother had a talk which Mikleo had remembered well. Back then Muse said, with the broken voice, that Luzrov would try his best to cheer them up, especially now, when they had such hard time.

 

"Of course, sweetheart. You already became as handsome as he was when he and I first met." Muze answered and waved to Mikleo to raise up so she could fix his pillow. Mikleo rolled his eyes but he already stopped to restrain Muze from doing such treatments around him. It made her feel better. The worries already crafted her face and stifle gentle lights in her eyes. The moments like this, when she could do something to improve the situation made her a little happier.

"Mom, you two met when he was 25, I'm still 19."

"It doesn't matter, I bet soon you will have a crowd of smitten girls around you." She smiled brightly, truly happy. This made Mikleo uncomfortable. Like having always sick kid wasn't enough of bad thing which happened to her.

 

"Hey, Mikleo, what's wrong?" She asked noticing his distress.

"Fuck." Mikleo cursed quietly at his mother's ability to read his feelings without even trying.

"Hey, hey! Young man! Not such words when I'm around, wait until I go away." She joked trying to make situation lighter.

"I'm sorry." Mikleo looked at her mother as she sat down on hospital chair.

"So, what's wrong?" Muze once more asked before grabbing Mikleo's hand on her own. It was so warm in the coldness of the hospital room.

"You won't let it go?" He groaned.

"No, sweetie. Did I said something wrong?"

Mikleo shook his head before lowering it. He didn't want to disappoint his mother any further, but at the same time, she deserved honestly. Even if it was so hard to say.

 

"I... there..." His other hand trembled over hospital covers. He really wanted to run away and tell Muze to forget about last few minutes. Maybe cancer will kill him in the end. Then this matter wouldn't matter as he takes truth to the grave. It's better for his mother to believe that he was normal at least in this one case.

"Mikleo, you know we can talk about everything?"

 

This was it, the hint of sadness in this beloved woman's voice that brought truth into Mikleo's mouth.

 

"I... I might not want for girls to be smitten with me." He said quietly feeling tears of fear in his eyes. He waited for Muse to get up from a chair, to finally leave this room and never come back. Why should she? He was a failure in every possible way.

 

"Oh." the woman gasped after a moment of silence. Then rough, from a lot of work, fingers moved to Mikleo's chin and they raised his head gently.

 

"Then I repeat my recommendation for a long hair, white stands with aquamarine tips. Any boy will fall for you."

 

There was no escape from the tears falling into his pajama and cheerful smile of his mother. How could she be this accepting?

"You just want to play with my hair again, don't you?" He teased once more while trying to whip tears of happiness away from his face.

"Always, sweetheart."

 

Mikleo felt blessed with such wonderful parent. It didn't take long after his talk with Muze before really embarrassed and serious Michael walked into his room. For the first time in Mikleo's life, his uncle was messing up his sentences as he tried to warn Mikleo about all danger of having sex unprotected.

 

"You shouldn't trust anyone... fast... if he wants to... you know... for you two to... have. Shit! I can't! No oral sex until you know he's not sick or anything.. or no oral sex at all, I heard you can get throat cancer from it... and with anal sex, condoms! No sex without condoms! You hear? For the beauty of Pantheon, this will cost Muse not a week of making lasagna, but a month!"

 

The man hid his red face in hands, last words muffed. Mikleo sat quietly shocked from the start of this strange lesson, but at this moment he smiled and chuckled softly first time since his chemotherapy started.

 

"Uncle, it's alright. I don't even have anyone who I want to kiss yet. Well, mom says this but I don't think there ever be a line of those who would like to be with someone like me."

 

"Mikleo, cancer isn't infectious and you are really intelligent, fine-looking and great boy." Michael raised his head looking sadly at albino.

His uncle was meeting for two years with that hospital's psychiatrist at that moment. Mikleo and Muse were really happy for him and encouraged him every day to grab his chance without holding back because of them. The current conversation was the reflection of their support, it was Michael's way to show his own care.

 

"I know I'm not bad looking or an idiot, but I bet everyone would choose a healthy guy over the sick one."

"Mikleo... You will find someone who will love you. Come on, if I and Lailah could work out then you surely have a chance too." His uncle said, his usual stiff face softening with the smile.

"Don't give up."

 

Mikleo didn't want to voice out his fears. He was going to have first of many planned surgeries starting the next day. On his liver first. He was really afraid of pain beside usual fear about if he even would wake up. But at the same time, he wanted to fight. He didn't have hope to fall in love but he wanted to survive enough to see his uncle wedding one day.

 

"I won't give up."

"Good boy. So, I will tell your mother we had... this... sex talk, alright? I will bring you some books about it next time, is it good for you?"

"It is." Mikleo grinned at his uncle, the fears were pushed away for a few bright minutes.


	2. Chapter 2

Cancer didn't want to give up easily. It was stubborn and it didn't want to let go of Mikleo's body. It was Edna who managed to get cured first and she left the albino alone on their hospital floor. Not like the other sick grow ups were unpleasant, but Mikleo felt strange when they talked about their normal children who went to school, who were doing sports things as a hobby and had normal relationships. It wasn't like he envied them, but such talks made him always sad. He also wanted to experience all of this. To be at least little normal. Still, he already cried too many times over those matters that he had enough. It was better to avoid such topics. Of course, sometimes sadness hit him again without warning and it was often too strong to stop tears from falling from his eyes.

He was in good relationship with hospital staff, but they always tried not get too attached with him.

 

Mikleo wasn't surprised. In the end, the moment when they're lost their patient wasn't anything pleasant even without emotional attachments. The oncology was a place that had better rates of death cases than survivors.

 

So the hard days for Mikleo once more started. Beside sickness caused by the chemotherapy, a cold steel knifes opened him to cut metastasis away. The after surgery pain filled his whole days even with a great dose of hospital's painkillers.

 

And yet, nothing prepared him for the suffering which was coming into his life. It happened between his second and third surgery. The analgesics helped him to somehow move and walk on his own, but doctors cut out quite a lot from his tissue together with cancer. Even so, his surgeon decided to leave the biggest metastasis and wait if chemotherapy will make it smaller. His mother wasn't happy about it. She was worried about every time Mikleo landed on the surgery table.

 

He just managed to get back from the toilet when his leading doctor Mr. Uno walked into his room with the other, unknown person.

"Mikleo. You should sit."

"Is something wrong? Did cancer get into the other organs?" He asked with the shaky voice.

"It's about something else... You can't panic, it could make your wounds open if you do that."

Mikleo slowly sat on his bed ready for the worst. They found something bad... He may have left few days of life... Those were his worst possibilities and yet nothing had prepared him for something even worse to come.

 

"Your mother had a heart attack. She died on the way to the hospital. I'm deeply sorry for your loss."

 

Next thing he remembers from that day was him throwing up on his hands and his legs. Someone probably caught him before his mind turned black.

 

He woke up in the empty room. His clothes were clean and for a first moment, Mikleo assumed he had a really awful nightmare. At least until Edna and Eizen walked into the room all clothed in the black. Mikleo couldn't even move when their eyes meet.

"No." He whispered.

"Mikleo... Michael, he's... He will take care of Muze's funeral... we can... stay with you if you want. " Eizen said to the shaking albino.

 

Mikleo screamed but he didn't hear himself. The wound on his stomach hurt but not as much as his broken heart. Edna ran away from the room while Eizen tried to calm him down. Mikleo wanted to say anything but words didn't make through his cries.

 

This wasn't possible! This was a ridiculous joke! He was constantly ill, he had cancer, so why he's alive but not his mother? Why wasn't he killed together with his father? Why was he still alive and others he loved were dying?

Mikleo's world soon became calm and gray as doctors apply into his body some sedatives. If they only could stop the tears falling from his eyes.

Mikleo wasn't in a mental or physical state to do any surgeries for two months. He and Michael were wrecked. Lailah, his uncle's girlfriend, tried her best to help them both but the man decided to end their relationship. At that time the lavender-eyed male didn't ask why his uncle have done that. He could be happy with her, right? So why he chose Mikleo over being with her? Why didn't he abandon him and let Mikleo die?

 

"Mr. Luray, we need to continue your treatment, there is still hope." The Doctor Uno said to him after his mother funeral, but boy wasn't any longer sure if he wanted to keep going. Was a few more months, maybe years worth all this suffering?

 

"So that's it? You simply give up because Muze is dead?" Edna started a conversation around two days later after hospital's staff tried to convince him to have another surgery.

 

"Tell me... What I should fight for?" He asked the girl. Her hair already grew back, golden color like Eizen's. She looked like a normal girl in casual clothes now.

 

"You think I will be so corny and tell to live because there is love in the world and another shit? I won't, it's you to decide if you gave up on your dreams already or not. I want to tell you one thing. Muze was having hope until her last breath that you will beat this damn cancer. Just like you once again managed to stand on your own feet. She asked some people around for current date advice to be ready to give you one when the time comes. Yes, she even asked me what two boys could do on their dates. It wasn't revelation I wanted, believe me.

 

If you don't have the strength to fight on your own then do it to be able to look her in the face when you meet her in the afterlife. And one word from me. You weren't abandoned. You weren't a trash to throw out like me and Eizen. Both of your parents wanted you to survive so you should at least try to do that. Give the world middle finger, tell death to fuck up and survive until you will be an old man on the rocking chair with a cheesy lover beside you just like Muze wanted."

 

To tell true Mikleo didn't know why he continued fighting. He didn't have any strength or hope left. He gave up on his big dream to see the world. On some smaller ones too. Still, for next two years, he let doctors cut everything they wanted.

 

After that time they couldn't even find a trace of cancer in his body, but he needed liver and lungs transplantation. He waited a half of year for a first one but he wasn't so lucky with the other one. He wasn't that high on the list. He could breathe with lungs he had. Yet, each breath he took felt like it was never enough.

 

During that time Michael was trying to earn as much money as he could alone to pay for Mikleo's treatment. He was trying to take more hours in University, on weekends he was traveling from city to city promoting his books and trying to sell them. Even with all his hard work, they ended with a dept.

Michael had no other choice but to sell most of the things which survived after Muze sold the house. Michael took the rest into his new, even smaller flat. There wasn't even much space for two people to live in there and it was safer for Mikleo to be still under hospital care, so both men agreed that was the best in their current situation.

Since Michael often so busy Edna and Eizen helped them by making some necessary shopping or doing laundry. They sometimes spend some time with Mikleo, but albino wasn't feel good about taking their time. Slowly the wall between Mikleo and his only friends was unintentionally created. Was it because of Muse's death? Maybe. Mikleo wasn't sure himself. He couldn't be open about his feelings to them knowing that they didn't have an easy life themselves even if that wasn't a problem before. There were days when he felt mentally better and he wanted to talk with Eizen about some history stuff, like during a time when his mother was still alive, but at the same time, he didn't know how to start that topic.

Edna always visited Mikleo with her brother and she wasn't interested in historical topics. So Mikleo didn't bother Eizen with his hobby in the end.

Or maybe it was just Mikleo's excuse to push siblings away?

Lailah was also worried about him. Probably more because of her job than anything else after her and Michael's ways separated. Even after all these years woman still worked in the same hospital.

"Mikleo your health is improving but you don't seem to be happy about it. I'm always here to help if you want to talk about your worries and fears."

"I know. Thank you." He said his usual monotone words.

 

Yes, he wasn't happy. He didn't believe cancer was gone. He was ready for it to come back at any moment. His lungs were almost at their limit, he had a max year or so. Even now it was hard for him to beat the stairs to another floor, so he always had to use elevators. It wasn't much help since few meters of the straight walk could exhaust him greatly on some days. The small TV hanging in his room and books, that Michael brought him from University when he had time, were only things left in Mikleo's life.

 

It was one of those months when it was a while since he wore some casual clothes instead of his pajamas. He felt kind of sick for the last few days. Just as he got into his room from the bathroom the wave of a cough overtook his body and he kneeled on the ground trying to catch some air.

 

"Damn, flu season," he whispered to himself after he had regained his breath. It was the second day of him having a fever.

"Well, maybe I will be able to ask Amelia to buy for me some oranges." He said with small hope for something good to happen. A fresh fruit was equal to a small piece of happiness for him after many other things had become beyond his reach.

"I should have some savings from what Michael gave me at the beginning of the month" He mumbled again. Talking to himself already have become sort of habit to him.

 

"Soon they will move me to psychiatric ward..." he laid down on his bed making his long hair fall all over the pillow. In the end, he decided to grow them up just like his mother wanted. Amelia, the old nurse working at his floor, bought him for the last Christmas some aquamarine paint after hearing the story behind his current hairstyle. This was the only dream his mother had before her death which Mikleo managed to fulfill. In the end, Mikleo didn't really have any important wishes on his own anymore.

 

Even his hope for oranges that day turned into ashes. Amelia visited him that day and informed that she was retiring. She wished him the best and that was it. The purple-eyed male already got used to people's leaving, as well as to his small wishes being crushed. Most personnel treated him normal, but they didn't bother to get to help him beyond what procedures told them and Mikleo was partially responsible for that by setting around himself a wall.

 

"What can we talk about? I don't have a normal family. I didn't have the childhood like most people had. I don't have children or a job. I spend most of my life in hospital. All I can talk about are books and tv shows. It's enough for few hours of talk, but not for months." he answered Lailah when the woman asked him once about his distance during their session. She tried to encourage Mikleo to open to someone, to tell him that he isn't a burden but man didn't let her convince him. His tries always ended the same. He tried once or twice but after he noticed that people didn't care about his words or he felt like bother, then Mikleo didn't try to get that person's attention anymore. It was just how he was. 

That day's night was one of those where he woke up unable to catch his breath. After he fought off the attack his stomach squeezed from its emptiness. It was still two days before Edna promised to visit him and bring him something else to eat beside hospital meals.

If he wasn't so sick he would go outside the hospital to the closest shop... But he was sick and he couldn't do anything about it. Damn hospital elevator was acting strange too lately not helping his situation.

His stomach twisted painfully again in the darkness of night and few tears escaped from Mikleo's eyes. 

"Maybe Amelia or Natalie would have bought me those oranges if I asked..." he sobbed into a pillow until he somehow fell asleep.

 

Next day wasn't any better too. His fever must have risen because he felt like shit. A wet shit to add. He sweated a lot too inside the bed and his pajama stuck to him in a disgusting way.

 

"Hello. I'm Sorey Shepherd and from today I will work on this floor as the nurse." The voice loud and cheerful like a bell bounced in Mikleo's hurting head. His annoyed groan made the visitor come closer. The figure of an unknown man was blurry on the edges without glasses but Mikleo could hear loud gasp before big hand landed on Mikleo's forehead.

 

"You have a fever."

The self-announced nurse jumped towards his bed's information panel to check his name and started to look over his tablet about Mikleo's state.

"There is no medication here. And no recording of yesterday temperature. Hold on. I will get a doctor."

Before Mikleo managed to think that Amelia indeed didn't check his temperature on the earlier day the new nurse was gone. Meanwhile, the albino man wondered how bad his cold was. He hoped that previous day's coughing won't grow into anything bigger. The pneumonia was equal to a death sentence for him now.

 

Or maybe it would be better?

He would stop destroying his uncle's life. Michael had still time to create a family on his own. He could be still happy without deadwood like him. He won't probably get better, by postponing his death he only makes his uncle dept bigger...

The conversation of two men arriving into Mikleo's room stopped the train of thoughts.

"I knew it. There's no other patient that waits for the last moment to complain about getting sick than you Mikleo."

 

"It wasn't so bad yesterday." Mikleo murmured in the answer to his leading doctor.

"And what if we got lungs for you now? We wouldn't be able to make surgery." The doctor reprehended younger male. With another groan, Mikleo raised from his bed.

"We know it's impossible. I'm still too far on the list." he said as the doctor Uno started to check his throat, then lymph nodes in his neck.

"Don't tell me you trying to kill off the rest of your lungs to jump higher?"

"I do not." Mikleo huffed annoyed just to start coughing after he ended his sentence.

 

"Your name is Sorey, right? I know it's your first day here but I need to ask you to bring some medicines for this patient. We can visit Mr. Yamato before that. I will explain to you what treatment she needs. It will save time if you get pharmacy medicines for both since had problems with walking on their own. You know where the pharmacy is?"

 

"Yes, sir. It's on the second floor in the west wing. I checked out hospital's floors after I got admission to work here."

"I see, that's good. This will save us some time. Come after me." The doctor nodded at nurse's enthusiastic answer.

"Mikleo, I 'm going to call doctor Lawrence to check up on you more precisely, don't wander off anywhere before he come see you."

"Yes, sir." The white-haired male groaned. He really wanted to use a shower right away. His current, wet from his own sweat, state was making him feel even sicker. Besides, the bathroom was the only place he could go in such condition.

Mikleo waited for another hour for his checkout. Meanwhile, the new nurse returned and a bright voice asked him politely if he doesn't need anything. Mikleo shook his head after taking towards his mouth a small cup of pills and swallowing them all in one go. This action earned a surprised gasp from another male.

"Sir, you should not take them all at once."

"No worries, I got used to taking them like that. It would take too much time and water to take them separately."

"But..."

It looked like the nurse wanted to keep this topic going but when he opened mouth the phone in his pocket rang. It was one of the hospital's cheap phones with application to inform the nurses if some patient needed their assistance even when they were away from their office.

 

Mikleo rolled his eyes. It was probably calling from Irina or Theodor, two patients that liked when the others paid attention to them. Their families were cold like stones and showed once per month, maybe less. Mikleo could be also wrong and it could have been someone who just had a surgery today. The feeling of cold, throat dry like desert, pain... When people felt all those after effects they usually acted more needy, calling nurses for the even single small thing. Mikleo couldn't judge them or even thought about it as something that shouldn't happen. He was so many times annoying patient like them. He was still annoying patient. Maybe it would be better for this whole hospital if he choked with pills... It would make one less person bother with.

 

The male nurse left his room again looking confused over his phone, surely don't know yet which room called him. Anyway without second to waste the nurse ran towards the patient in need.

 

Waiting for Doctor Lawrence Mikleo wondered how long this enthusiasm will survive. If Edna was with him she would surely offer Mikleo to take a bet.

"I will give him a month." she would surely said just like she did in past when new nurse or doctor started to work in 'their' hospital.

 

"Well, it doesn't matter..." Mikleo sighed into pillow feeling like his mind had begun to slip away thanks to fever exhaustion and medicines.


	3. Chapter 3

Later that day, when he was already checked out by the doctor and he got next round of pills, Mikleo was finally free to go into the desired bathroom. After a hot shower, he felt better but an annoying cough did not give up. Wearing Normin patterned pajama, since this was his last one clean, he walked through hospital corridors. He looked down on the floor feeling humiliation because of childish miniatures of popular cute looking monsters. Of course, it was a gift from Edna. No one else could tease him like this. Wanting to hide his face in wet towel Mikleo wondered which designer was so genius to put such things on grown-ups pajama.

 

When he heard loud girlish giggle he was sure he was the cause of such laughter. The relief washed over him when he saw a pair of nurses who didn't even look into his way. Mikleo fixed his glasses to take a better look. One of them was Natalie, the nurse Mikleo knew well. Her red, somehow pinkish hair, was tied into a ponytail as always. She was a nice person. Natalie not once helped him fix his hair when he was unable to do so on his own, but anyway, he and woman didn't have common topics to talk about.

 

The second figure standing beside window was a new nurse.

This time Mikleo could take a better look at the man who introduced himself as Sorey.

He had chocolate hair and rather well build posture. He was a higher than Mikleo. Surely he wasn't bad-looking but it was nothing that could take your breath away. Or maybe Mikleo was wrong.

 

Natalie looked really happy while talking with a new male. Sorey smiled back at the woman brightly. Everything about this situation foreshadowed to Mikleo incoming disaster since Natalie was currently going out with Mason, driver of the ambulance.

 

'This what I need right now' Mikleo thought looking at hospital's staff members. Some hospital romance drama during the time when his lungs wanted to end their existence.

 

"Great, just great." He groaned tiredly forgetting about his Normin pajama and related with it an embarrassment.

 

Thanks all those years of living in hospital Mikleo's room surely didn't look like others. It was former small office, remade into a room for him to not waste the normal ones. The two shelves with books, one wardrobe with his clothes and private pillows with a quilt, all saviors from the time when they sold their house. There was a small, barely breathing like him, fridge where he hid food. Beside such equipment, room was painted light blue like other rooms were. There was a control panel beside his bed where he could call the nurse or the doctor. Below the ceiling was a small TV. When Edna was still patient like him, she often came to watch something with Mikleo since her room didn't have such furnishings. 

 

The white haired man leaned above his bed to check if quilt dried a little when he was away. It did but at the same time it looked like he will need to ask a cleaning personnel to take it to hospital's laundry room. He liked a lot more when Eizen and Edna washed his things. Mikleo didn't like chemicals hospital used, but the washing machine both siblings had was too small for the quilt.

 

"I'm already burden to them..." Mikleo whispered to himself while trying to make his bed.

"Sir, maybe you need a help with this?" The loud voice made Mikleo jump before he really had began his task.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't want to scare you" The brown haired male scratched back of his neck with a bashful smile on his face.

Once more time Mikleo looked over the other man for a moment, one of his pillows still in his hands as he do so.

"N..no. It's alright."

Mikleo raised his head to notice the last element of other man's appearance he didn't see in the corridor. The nurse had green eyes. It reminded him a little of Lailah who also had such color, different shade but definitely it was green. Yet, Mikleo didn't think those two may be related by blood. Not like he had proof for his theory. He just feel it was like this. 

The other man smiled gently at him, little nervous, little encouragingly.

 

"I don't remember clearly everyone's medical history yet, but you are patient who gone through spine reconstruction surgery and awaits for the lungs transplantation, right?" The brown-haired man scratched back of his neck again worried if he didn't mess up the facts.

 

"Yeah, that's me." Mikleo nodded slowly not sure if he should say more.

"Dr. Uno told me you shouldn't do much physical labor... so please, call me if you need such help. I may not look like this but I'm quite strong."

 

Mikleo stopped himself from telling the nurse that he indeed looked kinda strong, like a person who could lift a grown-up man. The nurses like him are loved by the female personnel. Not once the nurses had to lift their patients. Not all women are able to do that alone. It's hard work so men in this profession were highly welcomed... Even if doctors are usually ones who got most of the glory in the end.

 

"It's alright. I can make my own bed." Mikleo answered irritated. After so many years he learned how he had to move in order to not make his spine hurt. How to lift things from the floor, how to sit properly for longer so later it wouldn't cause him pain.

 

He was able to walk again.

The pain when he bent in wrong way or when he lifted something heavy wasn't so big deal in the end if it meant no wheelchair.

 

"I meant to offend you." The other man said. Mikleo went into his bed acting a little like an asshole but he had enough of the new nurse for that day. He still felt sick and all he dreamed about was some syrup for his throat and bed's warmth.

"I'm fine. You don't need to worry and you can go help the other patients." Mikleo ended the conversation. Or rather he thought he did before the green eyes stopped at albino's nightstand and Sorey opened his mouth again.

 

"Ohhhh! You read the Celestial Record." The man smiled so brightly that Mikleo would see it even without his glasses. The nurse's eyes followed quickly at Mikleo's bookshelf.

"'Architecture: Form, Space, and Order', 'Brunelleschi's Dome: How a Renaissance Genius Reinvented Architecture', 'How to Read Churches', 'A Short History of Nearly Everything' and others! You have them all!" The man looked at Mikleo with shining eyes like he was some kind of present under Christmas tree.

 

"Did you read 'The Stones of Venice' too?" The man asked with such hope and happiness so Mikleo only nodded again taken aback by this whole situation.

 

"Ohhh, it's amazing! What do you think about Machu Picchu? Lately, everyone only talks about what it was a...." The excited voice abruptly broke in the middle of a sentence. There was a moment of silence inside Mikleo's small room before man speaks again.

 

"I'm so sorry! I didn't want to trouble you! But I when saw all these books and I knew right away you must love history and architecture. I don't have many chances to talk about those things with my friends so I got carried away. You are sick and all, this is my first day here and I'm acting unprofessionally. I'm so sorry."

 

Mikleo didn't know what o say. Was this some kind of bizarre dream after medicine pills? Before him stood a grown-up man who just got excited about his books. This has never happened to him. Almost no one asked him about his history books before. When he reads some strange story or novel then yes, some nurses sometimes asked him what it was about, but something like this? About history books? 

A cough shook his body before he found the other way to react. And it was a really bad one. He couldn't breathe and some tears gathered in his eyes when his lungs tried to catch some air. He couldn't even say anything when one large hand landed softly on his back and other on his chest helping him stay at sitting position.

 

When the attack of coughing ended Mikleo still couldn't take a proper breath. It surely took him at least five minutes before he was able to stabilize his breathing.

 

"Here, you should drink some water." the hand which was before on his chest now leaned to him a glass. Mikleo took it without question drinking greedy as his throat felt dry like desert. The silver spoon arrived at his eye level once he emptied whole glass.

"The syrup." The other man explained. Mikleo hated to be this weak, but he didn't have the other choice but to accept nurse's help.

"Thank you." The albino said after he swallowed medicine.

"That's my job and once again I'm sorry for troubling you."

 

Yes, that was right. All of this was man's job. There was three type of people besides Michael, Edna, and Eizen. The ones who tolerated him because it was their job. The ones who pitied him. And last ones who were annoyed of him. They even said he was like the parasite of society and asked why the doctors kept people like him alive. 'I don't want my taxes to be wasted on people like him' Mikleo once heard.

Mikleo was aware of such opinions. They had point. He couldn't do anything useful to society during his whole twenty-four years of life. He will probably die before he even will be able to do something productive.

 

"Sir? Do you feel pain somewhere? Should I call doctor Uno?" The brown haired male asked worried looking on Mikleo's face.

"N..no... It's better, I'm just tired." He answered laying down on the bed and covering himself with the quilt.

"I see. I will check upon you in an hour if you would need something. Feel free to call me or anyone from the personnel if you feel any worse."

Mikleo nodded and closed his eyes. The sound of steps followed into his ears until nurse left the room closing doors behind him. The albino laid in bed for a moment trying to reconsider everything that happened in last half hour.

 

This new nurse didn't see to be so bad. He was a little strange, but Edna and Eizen weren't pretty normal too. And who really was normal in this crazy world?

This man gave Mikleo impression like he knew about history books a lot. Maybe he could talk with him from time to time. The albino wondered if this Sorey was watching Discovery and National Geographic channels too. Maybe there was a chance to talk about them too with the other man. He wouldn't need to bother uncle Michael with his history conversations.

 

"Yeah, right." Mikleo huffed to himself bitterly into bed covers. Why he let his hopes grow like this? This was stupid. It was only matter of time before the man will change job or get tired of Mikleo's health condition. What was Mikleo thinking? That there was a chance to become familiar with this man? To not be some patient and the nurse, but a two people who liked to talk with each other about history? He had to get real. He didn't have anyone before who Mikleo could call a friend... And now it could change in some magical way? He never had 'normal, healthy friend, who was in the same age as him', for the damn sake.

 

Rolling towards window Mikleo curled on the bed waiting for the lunchtime. Yes, he had to focus on things that were reachable to him, not some impossible dreams.

Mikleo was sick for the next two days. The first one was the worst one. Edna visited him as she promised with few plastic bags in her small hands. She was twenty two but she still looked like young teenage girl and her style didn't help to chase away this impression. Normin mascots, cute dresses, rest of her stuff that reminded Mikleo of fashion style called “gothic lolita” if he recalled this right. It fit her like this was how she was suppose to be from the day she born. 

"You look like the wet rag." She said while putting some dry food on the nightstand.

"I'm glad to see you too Edna." Mikleo barely managed to say. His forehead drowned in a feverish sweat but he knew warmth was necessary to fight off the cold.

 

"If you ask nicely Lady Edna might peel you some apples."

After hearing only sharp wheezing from Mikleo's lips as an answer Edna finished unpacking and she looked at her friend worried.

 

"Listen, do they care about you right? Because if not they going to feel my and Eizen's wrath. I can call Michael too."

"It's... good, not like... they can help more... my body needs... to beat it alone." 

"If you say so... but don't dare to die after I leave. So where are things you need to wash?"

"Packed, in wardrobe." Mikleo nodded towards old furniture. Edna loaded all Mikleo's clothes into her normin bag. The albino didn't know how long Edna wanted to stay with him this time, but she sat on hospital chair and took a knife from the drawer. Her hands started to glide on the fruits she brought.

"Edna?"

"Don't talk. You making your throat only worse with this pointless talking, so lay down and be grateful."

Edna hasn't said more. They sat in silence which broke only when Mikleo had his cough attacks. It was normal between them, fights, harsh words, unsaid care and understanding silence. The clouds behind big window traveled slowly on the sky. Their shade began to warp into warm colors as days began to shorten. 

 

Mikleo gasped surprised when a plate of the messy shaped pieces of apples landed on his stomach.

"What this apple has done to you... to be massacred like this?" He said looking at the plate.

"Shut up and eat, Meebo." She huffed annoyed. He didn't need to be told twice. He missed something like this to eat. Besides getting sick the elevator wasn't running smoothly lately. The few people already stuck inside it for hours during past couple of days. Without elevator passing three floors with stairs to the cafeteria was impossible for Mikleo. So he had to be content with what hospital personnel kindly brought him. After few 'they don't have that', 'I will need to check if it's on today's menu' he decided to keep his orders to ingredients he was sure cafeteria had.

 

"Sir, time for your medicines." The third voice joined them in the room. It was the nurse with two plastic cups, one bigger with tea and the other, smaller, with pills.

"Good afternoon. I'm Sorey Shepherd. I have just started my job as a nurse in this hospital." The brunette introduced himself to Edna who's smirked sly.

"Nice to meet you." The girl followed her eyes after Sorey while the green-eyed man gave Mikleo his medicines. She didn't stop until the male excused himself and left the room.

 

"Oh, now I got it, you rather would like him to peel your apples."

Mikleo groaned tiredly at girl's tease.

"Edna, please, spare me from the nonsense today, my head hurts."

"The sex suppose to be a perfect cure for headaches. Medical proved." The sly smile was getting only bigger and Mikleo cursed in his mind all books he gave to Edna when she was still patient too.

"Said the asexual person." Mikleo fought weakly back.

"If you asked nicely then maybe amazing Lady Edna would help you, your loss."

 

The small looking girl raised from the chair and she took the empty plate in order to clean it in the hospital bathroom. While waiting for her return Mikleo checked upon insides of bags she brought with her. Some yogurts, buns, cheese, sausages, and butter besides fruits. He was pretty much set for an incoming week.

"Have you... cleared bill with Michael?" He asked Edna when she came back.

"Yeah, yeah. I bought it with your uncle money, don't worry. We are not a charity institution."

The blue-eyed girl answered. Mikleo couldn't figure out if this time it was a lie or truth. He caught both siblings on buying things for him even when Michael was too busy to send them money. Edna or Eizen showed up with grocery bags like always and the truth was only discovered thanks to the phone conversation with his uncle later.

 

"Do you need anything else?" Edna turned around, her mocking smile changed into deep concern.

"No, thank you. It enough."

"Alright. Eizen should drop by at the end of the week with your laundry."

"Thank you." Mikleo wheezed again. The blond haired girl paused her steps towards the door.

"Are you sure you will be alright?"

"Yes. It's hospital, there is no place which could help me more." Mikleo slightly waved around them.

 

"Like those white coats are any good. But I don't know about male nurses."

Mikleo groaned and god believe him, he would hit Edna with a pillow if he had any strength left. It wasn't the first time when she teased him like this. The last time Edna's target was some workers who changed windows for new ones in the hospital, before them it was some young doctor, he moved to another hospital anyway. One time Edna tried to push him into postman's arms too. Even now Mikleo didn't know if she was doing that for own enjoyment since she loved seeing his frustrated face or she really wanted to help him.

 

He took a slow deep breath. Like some romance could help. It would for sure end as a tragedy than a happy ending story. Maybe if Mikleo would leave hospital one day... But Mikleo no longer had hope for getting out alive from this place.

 

Mikleo slept for the other half of that day. Around the evening he got a call from his uncle.

"I heard you are sick." The low voice skipped all greetings moving on straight to the matter.

"Who?" Mikleo groaned into phone rolling his eyes. He had only two choices to choose from, yet he decided to ask.

"Eizen, after hearing about it from Edna. Mikleo, should I come to the hospital?"

 

Mikleo only shook his head even if he knew his uncle was unable to see him.

"No, I know you are busy with preparing a new season at University and you are working on your next book. It's just slight cold, I get medicines and need to stay in bed. There is nothing you... or anyone can help." Mikleo wanted to say 'you should bother about' but he knew it would lead to their usual talk about how Mikleo isn't any trouble. He heard that many times but somehow those words couldn't change how he felt.

 

"I will try to drop by during the weekend. And no buts. I want to see you." Michael said after some pause.

"Alright, thank you," Mikleo answered honestly. Even if most of his mind felt guilty part of him really wanted to see his uncle. For a second he wondered if he should ask the other man to bring him some new books from University but he stopped himself. University's library had a short time borrowing their books. It means Michael would need to visit him soon again and that means causing a problem. Well, Mikleo could always reread what he had in his hospital room. Even if he could recite some of them from start to the end from the memory by now.

 

"Maybe..." Michael started before pausing again "No it's not important. Get better and don't worry about anything. I will see you soon."

"Yes, see you soon..."

Mikleo lowered his phone. What did his uncle want to say? The white-haired man shook his head, he knew once he starts to think about it it will lead him to some dark thoughts.

"Time for dinner." Mikleo moved out the bed, still in the embarrassing gift from Edna. The purple-eyed man gasped, he forgot to ask Michael about today's supply of food for him. He got out a pack of cheese. It was some kind of new type of the company he liked so decided to prepare for himself some sandwich. The cheese almost melted on its own in his mouth and bread was so fresh like it just came from the oven. It was unvocal proof of how Edna and Eizen deeply cared for him when they didn't need to. Mikleo wanted so much to repay them back. But just how? 

This question asked so many times before, only made him feel even more miserable. He was helpless. Mikleo sighed tiredly and his breath hitched into something close to sob but not quite yet it. If someone asked him what he wants to do before death he probably would answer.

“I want to replay for all the kindness Michael, Edna and Eizen gave to me.”  
But as many things he wanted before, this was beyond his reach.


	4. Chapter 4

Two days later Mikleo felt a lot better, Eizen dropped by with his fresh clothes on way to University. After changing out the pajamas into proper clothes and fixing his hair into high ponytail Mikleo's mood lighten up. The day started really good beside the one inconvenience. He was still a prisoner on corrent hospital floor thanks to the broken elevator. He didn't want to stick inside building for the rest of day. Yet he stuck. The autumn weather outside looked so nice. The temperature was quite high too, maybe for the last time during that year. It was a total waste to stay inside.

Mikleo was stubborn, or rather he was stubborn even more in past. The last years filled with only hospital reality really hit him hard. No therapy helped and he couldn't take anti-depression pills anymore, they didn't agree well with rest of medicines against transplant rejection.

Yet clear, blue sky was natural medicine for Mikleo that day. He longed to feel those rays of light on his skin.

He didn't want to give up this time. He moved through the corridor slowly in order to save as much strength as it was possible. He took a small break on the corridor's chair when he started to feel like his chest weighted like truck. After resting he resumed his travel. 

The plan was simple. Once he gets into the lower floor then he could use the other elevator leading to the roof where helicopter's airport was. It wasn't great place as a park but it was the only one he could reach by now. The journey back was more problematic and tiring, but Mikleo wanted to give it a try. Thinking about next day in bed was making him feel depressed again.

 

"Hello Mikleo, are you going for a walk?" The woman's voice called him as he walked through the corridor.

"Good morning Anne, Hanna." Mikleo greeted women sitting on their beds. The windows of their hospital room were wide open, letting warm and nice air come inside. Both women were past middle age, first one called Hanna had a bandana on her naked head, she was going through chemotherapy now. Around them laid paper magazines, materials, and colorful wools. The psychiatrist Lailah organized during the week some crafting lessons, from origami to model making. It usually helped patients get better mentally. As for Mikleo, he stopped coming to the 'meetings' after his mother's death and he didn't feel like taking Lailah's time for a lost cause like him. Besides, Mikleo felt strange around Lailah after Michael break up with her and both of them never managed to feel gap which created back then.

 

"Do you want to join us? We are thinking about making some Christmas decorations." Hanna asked him showing one of self-made Santa Claus wool figure.

"So early?" Mikleo asked curiously.

"We thinking about sending some to Ladylake's Children Clinic."

Mikleo nodded slowly. Many knew what that Clinic from stories flying around. The death house for children with cancer. The worst cases were treated there. At one point in his life, some doctor wanted to send him there. Muze and Micheal didn't agree and later he was too old to be moved there. The Clinic's doctors weren't bad at their work, but even them couldn't create miracles when children were already or almost one leg on the other world.

 

"Maybe later, I like to go outside now." 'While I'm still able to do that' Mikleo added in his mind.

"It would be great, but don't feel forced to do so. Have fun on your walk."

"Shouldn't you ask Natalie or Daria to go with you?" The other woman asked. Mikleo shook his head quickly.

"They have more important matters to care about. I will manage on my own."

 

Yet from the way both women exchanged worried looks Mikleo knew Annie will call nurse as soon as he disappears from their sight. He knew they simply were afraid he would collapse on stairs or couldn't call on his own for help if his lungs fail him, but their concern only annoyed Mikleo. He knew he was weak. He knew he was sick. But today he felt enough good to do simple things by himself. It wasn't like times when he couldn't even rise from bed on his own.

He didn't want for Natalie or Daria to stand beside him, looking from between him and their informing application with nervous eyes like they were thinking 'How long he's going to stay here? If someone calls me I will need to get him fast back to the floor or leave him alone. If something happens to him I will have problems later.'

It was normal for them to think like this. Mikleo would think the same if he was in their shoes.

 

Mikleo almost wanted to turn back to his room with a heavy heart. He wanted to go outside, but now it felt like what he wanted was something bad. Guilty, Mikleo moved his steeps towards stairs anyway. His happiness from the whole trip almost disappeared, leaving only a stubborn need.

 

Going down the stairs wasn't that much of problem as long as he made breaks. Riding elevator leading to airport too. Mikleo'd felt excitation coming back to him when the wind from outside hit his face and hair as metalic doors opened. On the roof helicopter stood alone, its personnel was waiting in their office, ready to run into this place at any moment. His liver arrived into the hospital thanks to this helicopter, but he himself has never ridden this shiny and big machine.

Mikleo collapsed on a ledge beside elevator's room. From that spot the white-haired man could see a city from one side and hospital park on another. Not like he came there for the view. He leaned over outside wall of the elevator. His chest hurt after all physical exercise, but the whole inconvenience was worth it. The sun has nicely warmed his left side and Mikleo closed eyes enjoying a small moment of freedom. It didn't take long, maybe around forty minutes. The sound of the elevator moving vibrated through the brick he leaned on making Mikleo sigh quite sadly. Soon the doors opened up and the white-haired man waited for Natalie or Daria to show up beside him.

 

"Wow, this elevator was hidden well. Good, I met Alisha on the way. Mr. Mikleo, are you here?"

The brown-haired man stepped into airport's floor looking around before he gasped when he spotted surprised albino. As far as the white-haired man paid attention to doctors and nurses work this man supposed to have a night shift today. Sorey's clothes looked like he put them in hurry, a bag with hospital logo almost felt from his shoulder and he held a paper bag.

 

"It's amazing! What a beautiful view... But really sir, you shouldn't be here, it's dangerous."

"Only if you walk around the edge. This spot is safe." Mikleo pointed out. The nurse crossed his arms and pouted shaking his head in disapprove.

"But it's only personnel type of area. No patients allowed."

"I got it. I won't stay here too long. If the elevator was working correctly I would come here in the first place. I don't like heights too much." Mikleo groaned angrily. For a moment he wished for Daria to be one who came after him. They didn't like each other mutually. The old woman loved to grumble at him for watching TV channels at night, that he was the grown-up man who she needs babysits like a child and the other smaller things that make Mikleo uncomfortable. At least she was already used he sometimes went to the roof.

 

"Well, I'm not hurrying you, but please restrain yourself from coming to the places like this next time. Or at least inform someone from staff about it before."

 

The nurse sat beside him on the ledge. "If you called me I could figure out how to get you to the park."

"Interesting. What would you do? Fix elevator? You had read my damn card, my lungs are too weak to beat five floors of stairs." Mikleo asked thinking that Edna's way of speaking to people affected him too. The other man looked like he didn't care about harsh tone of his voice and he started to check insides of his paper bag with the smile on his face.

 

"Well, I could always carry you on my back until the third floor, then we could go with another elevator from there."

"W... What? You are making fun of me, right?"  
"No. I'm serious. It's not big deal. Rose, my cousin, jumped not once on my or our friend's backs. And I told you, I'm quite strong, so no worry I would lift you without a problem too."

Mikleo looked over the nurse feeling embarrassment creeping into his face as he imagined Sorey's proposition. He didn't even know how to answer those words. Meanwhile, the brown-haired man got a doughnut from the paper bag and he put it into his mouth like he didn't just propose to carry the other man on his back. Mikleo watched as the nurse inhaled the pastry with one go.

 

"I'm sorry, I didn't have time for a proper meal yet today. I was going to have night shift but Natalie's little sister got sick and she asked me to switch with her." Sorey explained taking out next doughnut. Well, that surely answered some of Mikleo's questions.

 

"Do you want some? I have two more."

"No thank you." The purple-eyed man answered still quite shocked. After the nurse finished his meal he took out the electronic tablet from the bag. This was also a standard equipment, besides the phone, with access to hospital's database.

 

"I will check out some information while you take your sunbath if you won't mind."

"Why should I mind?" he gasped surprised and in next moment he covered his flushed face with a hand. The nurse chuckled softly.

"I don't know. I should take care of my patients the best as I can. I don't know... Maybe you want to talk?" The face with the bright smile turned towards him.

"I don't." He crossed his arms and leaned back on the wall closing his eyes.

"I see." The nurse answered somehow disappointed and loud electronic sound told Mikleo that hospital's tablet was turned on.

 

Mikleo eyes were closed but his mind was full of thoughts. It looked like the new man was some kind 'I want to help everyone' type. Those kinds of people usually burned out quite quickly. Mikleo was still young but he saw few examples of changes in people's personality when they put their heart on the plate for the others like this. Usually, their story didn't end well. The downfall of the male sitting beside him wouldn't be also anything nice to watch for sure.

 

Even with Sorey giving him some personal space it was hard for Mikleo to relax. During the next half of hour, he could feel from time to time the green eyes looking at him.

 

"Do you want me to go back to my room?" He opened one of his purple eyes just to see the other man confused.

"No, at least not until I get a call, but I think Mrs. Daria has everything under control now. But I need to get Mr. Robert bandage change around 11:30, then give medicines to Mr. Leon and Ms. Anastasia at 12:00 then prepare Mrs. Hanna for her chemotherapy..." The other man answered scratching his neck. "...so, you can stay here for at least an hour if you like."

 

"You can go. I know the way to my room."

"I'm sure you are, but you are my patient too and your mental health is as important as the others patients."

"Do I look like I have mental problems?" He asked angrily, almost shouting.

"Please, don't get me wrong, sir. The weather like this, it makes even me feel better. I think you act a little overdramatic."

 

Mikleo had lowered his head. This man was just tried to be nice. It was true he overreacted, but he didn't want to admit nurse's right. Instead, he had felt down again. Wasn't he thinking once about trying to talk with the other man because he seemed to be interested in history too?

 

Sorey already asked if Mikleo wanted to talk after he joined him on the roof. The white haired man rejected Sorey's proposition and now he caused a fight. Why? Because the nurse was thinking of him as the person with health problems?

 

He was like that. He was sick, useless and he didn't know how to start any relationship. Form the start the assumed Sorey will get angry or annoyed at him so he tried to hurt and push away the other man before it happens. Maybe the nurse was right and Mikleo's mind was in the same shape as rest of his body.

 

"I want to get back to the room," Mikleo said tiredly and broken as he had started to rise up from the ledge.

He didn't look at the other man's face. Somehow he couldn't.

"I... I see." Sorey answered, his voice sounded lost but raised from the sunny spot on the airport after the other men hiding tablet back inside the bag.

 

Mikleo walked into the elevator and the nurse had followed after him. None of them have said any word during the ride to the 4th floor and the walk towards the staircase.

From this moment the rest of journey went just like Mikleo guessed.

After around twenty steps on stairs his breath has become ragged and his chest had hurt painfully, the world spinning around in his head. He tried his best to use hands and handrail to climb his body up but it exhausted his body anyway. With the corner of his eye, he saw hesitant hands ready to help him. The nurse opened his mouth but no sound escaped from them. At least until Mikleo's legs gave in as his lungs tried to catch air. He hit cold stairs with knees leaning with rest of his body above them.

 

"Sir.." Sorey moved towards suffering male.

"I.. I... I'm. not... weak." Mikleo hissed out raising his arm like protection wall from the other man. Sorey sighed and sat on one of the stairs.

"I see. I see you are strong. You are just sick. If not cancer which destroyed your body those stairs wouldn't be any obstacle. You aren't weak, you just need new lungs, that's all."

 

Sorey's voice was soft and warm. He didn't give any promises of the better future and yet those words we ones Mikleo wanted to hear.

 

"My Mikleo, you are the strongest boy in the world. The doctors just need to fix your spine and you will walk again. I'm sure of it because no one is stubborn and brave like you, my little treasure."

 

Mikleo still could remember words of his mother, such similar pattern to what men sitting beside him said. No promises, no expectations, no pity... Just facts and the ensure he wasn't weak.

The white-haired man bit his lower lip. His eyes have burned, and his arms still tried to catch handrail back and lift his body up.

 

"Sir, it's not wrong to use some help until you get new lungs. I'm sorry for what I said at the roof. Please, let me apologize by helping you."

 

The purple eyes looked into green ones. They were honest, this man thought he hurt Mikleo when the whole uncomfortable conversation on the roof was the smaller man's fault. His pride wanted to reject the offer. His mind had screamed to build a wall between them before he starts to have hope for something better than he had now. His heart had longed for such hope 

This time it was the heart that won when Mikleo nodded his head.

 

The smile which reappeared on Sorey's face wasn't bright like the previous ones. It was small, gentle and little sad. He also nodded and one of his arms moved under Mikleo's armpit. Sorey put Mikleo's hand on his shoulder so the albino. His raised up gently keeping the other man leaned over his right side. For one moment Mikleo didn't feel ground under his feet and small gasp made Sorey lower a little so the purple-eyed man could walk on his own without putting much force into it. They went slow, but after ten minutes they were able to reach the end of the staircase where the fifth floor started. Once they passed doors, Mikleo leaned over the closest chair to catch some breath. His room wasn't much far away yet Sorey didn't make even a single step away in order to return to his other duties. 

"I'm not going until I'm sure you reached your bed." Sorey said with a lot more cheerful voice than one on the staircase.

"Someone... takes his.. job very... seriously." Mikleo breathed out, but this time without annoyance in his voice.

"Of course. I still want to ask you few things about books you have. As a payment for helping."

"I thought you said help was an apology for questioning my mental health?" Mikleo felt his lips raised a little in a small smile. 

The nurse's eyes brighten up and the big grin crossed his face after small gasp. Mikleo wasn't sure what he said to make the other man so happy but it was the honest smile. 

The requests which Mikleo could fulfill made him happy like he wasn't in months. He didn't think there was any reason to question if Sorey lied about books. He would need to be quite skilled to lie like this to fool Mikleo. Yet, the brown haired man seem to be good at his job as the nurse so he knew this was what Mikleo wanted to hear to help his mental state. The purple-eyed man couldn't be sure what was true. 

 

"Well, if that's not enough then I will wait for the right moment to help you again and then ask about books again," Sorey answered excited like a child before he paused shocked looking now worried over Mikleo.

 

"If that doesn't bother you, sir. I think I got a little carried away. If you are uncomfortable with anything I said please let me know." The man scratched back of his neck again, looking now like someone who got caught at doing something really bad. 

This couldn't be just an act. There was no way.

 

"I think I might have time for some history conversation." Mikleo moved his head towards windows, avoiding to look over Sorey's bright eyes. Maybe he could do it. He could make a friend who shared his interests and who didn't see him as a hindrance. This thought was as much exciting as it was scary. What if it won't work out? What if one day this nurse will break down and leave this job? Will he be left alone again? What if his own state will get worse because it surely will without lungs transplantation. His cancer could return too.

 

"Did I hurt you while I was helping you?" Sorey asked with concern but Mikleo shook his head.

"No. Everything is as always."

"I see. That's good. Thought it would be nicer if you feel better." The green-eyed man smiled a little sad again.

 

The smaller male raised from the chair. His breathing returned to his usual normal. Sorey left him before doors to his room and looked over his phone.

"Holy ruins! I need to go get bandages from the magazine!" The nurse almost screamed and started to run back towards the stairs. Mikleo looked at him surprised. Somehow he really didn't want to be witness of Sorey being crushed under the weight of this job. But Mikleo also didn't believe it was possible to not change at all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> it was a first date?


	5. Chapter 5

Sorey dropped by into Mikleo's room the next day around the afternoon. The white-haired man was eating the chicken soup for a tenth time that month. He was close break his decision of not giving trouble to the others and ask Natalie for some research before the eating time. Sorey walked into the room with the metallic tray, on it laid yet opened bandages, shots and two boxes of the pills.

"Good afternoon." The brunette said smiling as usual.

"It's something from this for me?" He asked looking at stuff Sorey held.

"Oh. No. I need to change bandages of Mr. Yamato. I know you already got your medicines but I wanted to make sure if you didn't change your mind about talking with me." The man took the tray into one hand, moved it to his left side so he could scratch his nose with a free hand. His eyes moved for a moment towards the third volume of the Celestial Record which laid on Mikleo's nightstand.

The lavender eyed male also followed his eyes over the book then back at the other man before he gave his answer.

"Just as I told you, I have time."

On those words, the nurse smiled even more brightly.

"That's great. I was kind of worried I forced the agreement from you. I might not have time today and my shift ends just before sleeping time... So would you mind if we have our conversation tomorrow at the lunchtime when I will have morning shift?"

The man's question sounded friendly but very polite. Mikleo could tell from that alone how much important must have been to the nurse to be able to talk with him. He just couldn't really understand why. From the start, Mikleo wasn't very nice to the new nurse. Outside the hospital lived a bunch of people who also loved history. All you needed was and computer with internet connection to find other people with similar hobbies. Even his uncle's books had quite a big fan forum which Mikleo checked out often before his laptop died three years ago.

Why was this man so interested in talking with him? Mikleo really wanted to ask this question but he holds back. Right now he didn't want to push this person away. There was still time to do it in future.

"It will be alright." He agreed. Deep in his heart he really wanted someone to talk with, even for a moment. He didn't know the other man's mind but he knew his own. He was lost and afraid that his last days to be like this, empty, repetitive, only filled with thinking about his lungs which were working worse and worse every day. Even that day's morning he had an awful attack during which he couldn't breathe.

It wasn't like Mikleo to be selfish but he needed a moment to let his mind wander off from his condition. If this man didn't show up maybe he would finally ask Eizen or Michael to talk with him. Still, he knew that by doing so he would feel guilty at the end for sure.

Seeing Sorey's happiness when Mikleo agreed somehow made the white-haired man less remorseful. It was the other man's proposition. It was not so bad to take someone's time if he asked for it, right?

"Good, I will show up around 7:00 PM with your medicines, do you need anything besides them?" Sorey asked and Mikleo looked over his plate.

"No, I'm good. Thank you." He shook his head in the end sigh at his half-eaten chicken soup.

Sorey nodded and with the tray back into his both hands he excused himself from the room.

 

As promised Sorey appeared in Mikleo's room the next day with a lunch box and three books. To tell true until that moment he didn't think the nurse really was passionate about the history like him.

"Would you mind if I take the chair?" Sorey asked waving beside Mikleo's bed.

"Yes, sure." The albino answered. It was the only place where the other man could sit on. His room didn't have a second bed, and only Edna didn't care much about sitting on Mikleo's bed while she visited him with Eizen.

After the green-eyed man sat on the chair, he leaned box on his knees and above it the volumes he brought with him. Mikleo could recognize those books everywhere. It was three volumes of the Celestial Record. Probably this was the reason why Sorey looked so intense over Mikleo's copy previous day.

"I saw you have all the other books here, even this ones, but I like to know your opinion about some things I noticed." With shining eyes, Sorey opened the first volume. The colorful bookmarks sticking out from between pages and Mikleo could see the each one of them was attached to the paper filled with messy writings. He looked at the nurse's hands as they searched for something until they stopped.

"Um, I saw you kept this book on your nightstand for the last few days, so I assumed this will be a good start to our conversation." The other man raised his head and looked at Mikleo with an untold question if it was alright.

"Do you know who wrote it?" Mikleo asked, thinking he finally knew why this man wanted to talk with him in the first place. Someone from the personnel must have told him he was Michael's nephew. Maybe the man wanted to meet his uncle because he was the fan of the Celestial Record series. Something in Mikleo heart squeezed from disappointment and sadness.

"Of course I know! It's work of Micheal Utanel. I love him. The Celestial Record is his best work, it mixes the legends and true facts so well and sooo interesting. And it's not only about legends! He added precise archeologic information to each one if it was available. I have no idea how long it must have taken him to research all of that on his own. At the start, I was only interested in legends, but soon everything he included into this book swallowed me up completely."

"I see."

Sorey's excited words made Mikleo happy. He was proud someone loved his uncle's work so much. Michael deserved everything if someone would ask him. How many books would his uncle write if not a hindrance like Mikleo?

 

"You don't like the Celestial Record?" The nurse asked bringing the other man from his thoughts.

"No, I love it too."

"I'm glad. Did you ever saw Utanel? He had author's meeting two years ago in this city, but I couldn't be there myself... Oh, I'm so sorry, you probably couldn't be there too since you... I'm sorry, said something so stupid..." Sorey lowered his head and looked at Mikleo sadly.

Mikleo didn't know how to react. The one thing was clear, this man was really good at lying or he really didn't know Mikleo was Michael's family. The lavender eyed male wasn't sure how he felt about man's question. It wasn't the first time when people treated him as a normal person after they just met him.

Usually, Mikleo was the one to point out to them their mistakes. He couldn't do 'normal' things since his whole life was this, the hospital's diagnoses, surgeries and days in between full of waiting.

After his explanations people sometimes apologized, sometimes they not.

When such situation repeated a few times, people didn't bother anymore with talking to him about casual matters and Mikleo backed away from them too. I was just a normal course of things.

Sorey looked at him quietly, guilt clearly viewable in his honest eyes as he waited for Mikleo's reaction.

"You don't need to apologize. I'm used to the situations like this." Mikleo answered and shrugged his shoulders.

"That's even sadder," Sorey answered softly surprising the other man. "Please, let me know if I ever say something stupid again. Sometimes I get so much carried away and tend to mess things up. Thinking that I may hurt someone unintentionally makes me feel bad."

"A.. alright," he answered moving his eyes away from the other man's face. It was like the open book and Mikleo wasn't sure how to deal with it. And the part about not wanting to hurt him... The smaller man couldn't understand what he has done to receive such care. Was this man like this to everyone? If yes then he was the one who's going to be hurt pretty bad by someone one day.

Besides, Mikleo was only open like this with Edna, when they both were close to breaking down and gave up thanks to the hardships of illness. How could this Sorey be so honest and open with the stranger like Mikleo?

"So... with era is your favorite? Mine is an antiquity." Mikleo asked a question in order to put their conversation back at history topics. It was safer territory for him. The other man moved in his chair and his face lightened up back.

"Mine is Middle Ages! The era of knights and honor, but I love every era." Sorey said, his eyes gleamed with excitation.

"Hmm... Some people say those were the dark ages of history." Mikleo crossed his arms. The other man nodded but grin didn't disappear from his face.

"That's true. The degradation of architecture, medical knowledge and lose of almost everything antiquity civilizations acquired... but there is something charming in Middle Ages too."

"The brain tells you the one thing but heart tells you something else?"

Sorey's bright chuckle filled the room. He scratched the tip of his nose and his cheeks flushed slightly.

"You can say that. Even my friends tell me I'm helpless romantic. I think the Celestial Record is partially guilty of that. Many legends Utanel wrote in the first volume come from the Middle Ages."

"Yeah, the first volume was like this, but the next ones presented legends from the mixed eras." Mikleo nodded recalling how the story of the Celestial Record started. His uncle had some hard time to publish the first volume because of its main themes. Many Publishers didn't want to release the book. The usual answer was more or less: 'maybe people would read it if it was children book or fantasy fiction, not history one'. They wanted for Michael to change his approach and content. Yet, Mikleo's uncle didn't give up. Mikleo's father, who was still alive at that point, often said 'They don't know what they talk about! Making it a child book, what a joke. It would be a waste of potential and downgrade to the beauty of history'. It was maybe a few months later when Michael found a publisher who fell in love with the Celestial Record. Right now Mikleo had before him the real example of the Celestial Recond's fan. This said more than thousands of words.

 

"I know, I read them all like three hundred times. Still, the first volume crawled into my memory the best since it was released when I was a kid, well, when we both were kids." Sorey answered Mikleo's remark.

"So, which one is your favorite? The legend I mean..."

Sorey moved closer his chair towards Mikleo who was sitting in his bed. He grabbed one of the bookmarks into his palms. The white pages rustled only to stop at the place filled with two or three additional notes made by the green-eyed male.

"This one, the tale the crimson sword with a dull blade and the knight who wielded it in order to save his country. I love this story and a whole band who traveled with the knight. Utanel found and described a temple which was first dedicated to the knight before it was assimilated into Christian one. But you already know this one, right?"

"Of course I know it." Mikleo grinned happily. This was one of his beloved legends too. Michael told him this story long time before he put it into pages. The sword was dull but it possessed magical powers. Surely the magic wasn't historical fact. The older Mikleo supposed the teammates of the knight gained magical powers later as people retold the story during ages. To make the story more exciting of course. Somehow the whole matter of the knight reminded Mikleo the legend about King Arthur.

"Michael... Utanel thinks the Temple of Mither was also made to honor the Crimson sword's knight." Mikleo's eyes fell on the second volume of the Celestial Record, wondering if he should show the information to the other man. In the end, it wasn't necessary. The nurse already took the second volume in hands and with the magic of another bookmark, he opened the book on the page with the said temple.

"Right, that leads me to a conclusion the Temple of Whanort is another temple build for the crimson knight. The style and the room arrangement is almost the same as in the Mither's Temple. See? Here in, the third volume." Sorey put away the one book into Mikleo's bad in order to open another and show the architecture drawings before the other male.

"I think you are wrong. Many things suggest it's imitation build later."

"But the legend Utanel described to Temple of Whanort looks like a continuation of the knight's one even if the sword isn't mentioned. It tells a love story of the knight and one of his companions; the water's mage, doesn't that sound similar to you? There was water mage in Crimson sword's knight too."

"Well, there is no proof those are connected. There is no mention of other members of the crimson sword knight's company like inside the two other Temples. Besides, there is no way for the knight and the mage to travel this far. I think it's mistranslation created by people living beside Whanort's Temple since in their langue 'water' means also 'white'."

"I think Utanel would fix that part if it was a mistake. He surely heard this tale and checked it himself. He already fixed the 'Legend of black dragon' and 'Underwater Kindom' when the other writers only repeat the same mistakes and those were so easy to fix after checking the murals."

Mikleo crossed his arms. Now he really wanted to ask Michael if he saw something inside the temple to proof Sorey's words. Mikleo himself thought characters from those legends were similar. Still, there were too many details to disprove this theory.

"That would mean The Crimson sword's knight and his beloved mage crossed the ocean?"

"Well, they had water magic and love. It could be possible"

Mikleo huffed half amused, half annoyed by such un-historical answer.

"I think I got why your friends call you romantic. No real proof for your hypothesis but you still believe in what you say."

"It would be nice, don't you think? The many legends change with time, but if there was a pair like them, with magic or not, it would be still nice to know they lived happily together after they saved their country." Sorey answered honestly with a warm voice.

"Well, it wouldn't be bad..." Mikleo mumbled. He wasn't the type of person to break down the others dreams. It didn't mean he wasn't going to ask Michael about this matter. The feeling when he was about to discover something new made his mind bright from the excitation. It was a while since he felt like this.

"Right? I would be amazing on so many levels. I hope to visit the Temple of Whanort myself and see the truth with my own eyes."

It was such nice dream. Mikleo had many dreams like this in past. This man could still make them true, while he himself will wilt in this room. Mikleo swallowed the bitter feeling of his own sad truth when Sorey's phone rang short loud signals.

"Oh, my break is already over... And I forgot to eat and I didn't yet ask which legend is your favorite one. Maybe next time?" Sorey asked and waited for the answer with hope in his green eyes.

"Y.. yeah. I don't mind."

Sorey looked over his plastic box with small longing.

"Oh well, I will try to grab a bite during a day." He said more to himself than to the other man "Thank you very much for this conversation, Mikleo I had so much fun talking with you... Can I call you by the name?"

"I don't mind." Mikleo nodded his head once again.

"Alright. Time to work. Please let me know if you will need something. As for your evening medicines, Daria should be one who will bring you those." Sorey waved to Mikleo his hand for a goodbye.

Mikleo looked for a moment at the empty space the other man left after leaving. He had leaned back on the pillow. His lungs were feeling heavy in his chest like he just ran a marathon. Yet, Mikleo felt somehow light. He couldn't wait for Michael's visit. He wanted to ask his uncle about temples and legends he talked about with Sorey. Not mention he looked forward the next conversation with the nurse.

At least until the reality and his situation came back to him. The usual wave of mixed feelings came back to Mikleo making the small smile on his face disappear. The voices in his head again started to whisper to him this all will not work out. And that he is a parasite living on Michael's goodwill.

 

And yet Sorey visited him the same day while passing his room asking if he can somehow help Mikleo. By the time of the albino's dinner, he joked that Mikleo really seems to like chicken soup. He hid his true feelings out of embarrassment and only nodded his head.

"Tomorrow I have the night shift, so what about talking when I will have the morning one, during my lunchtime again?" Sorey asked reading himself to leave his workplace.

"It will be good." Mikleo answered shortly, still surprised by the whole situation.

"Good night." The nurse said cheerfully leaving Mikleo with strange but nice feeling.


	6. Chapter 6

Mikleo was checking out his books since the morning in hospital started. Some of them were pretty old by now, their covers holding on only thanks to the adhesive tape yet it wasn't a problem for the young man. The letters were readable and that's all Mikleo needed. The pain in his chest and exhaustion didn't let him work around bookshelf fast, but he worked steadily on preparing some interesting, rare topic to talk about with Sorey next time. Mikleo didn't want to be the one who only nodded to what the nurse said. Making Sorey surprised by his own knowledge sounded somehow interesting too. 

Mikleo paused beside his bookshelf as his anxiety mind started   
to wonder about one question.

'When will Sorey start to make excuses to not talk with him anymore?' 

He couldn't help but to feel that way, it was a pretty possible scenario after all things that happened in his life. The part of his heart was whispering about the fact he was able to befriend Edna and Eizen. Besides Sorey seem to really like history stuff so he won't end up bothered by Mikleo's passions. 

The albino's hands slid alongside one of his favorites books to calm his mind. It usually helped a little, letting his thoughts to consider more positive options for the future. 

Maybe this relationship will work out too. It would be nice to have a friend like Sorey and talk with him about history without holding back, but only the time could give Mikleo a clear answer how this story will end.

 

Michael entered his room just when Mikleo was immersed in his own thoughts, thorned between hope and despair.

"Good to see you feeling better." Michael's voice shattered the room's silence. Mikleo turned around with small, guilty smile towards the last member of his family.

"Good afternoon, it's nice to see you."

The first thing the white-haired man noticed was the fact Micheal looked very tired. Like he was just as much sick as Mikleo. The older man had dark circles under his eyes and his posture lacked usual grace. The albino quickly felt guilty for taking this man's time instead of telling him to rest in a home. Probably if he knew Michael wasn't feeling well Mikleo would fight against this visit more during their phone call.

"Please, sit down." Mikleo wheezed out after taking some air into his lungs.

"Do I look that old so the first thing my nephew is asking me is to sit down?" Michael's lips raised a little into half smile but it didn't reach his eyes. The older man made few steps towards Mikleo's bed in order to lay down on it two bags he brought with him.

"I picked up few things for you. Since you couldn't leave the hospital I thought you might have run out of soap and shampoo. I bought you some new towel as well."

"Thank you."

Mikleo's voice broke with emotion after seeing the big fluffy towel. He wouldn't have to worry about his current ones won't drain enough until his next bath. 

"Did Edna bring you everything you needed? I can go to the shop across the hospital if you need some groceries."

"Thank you but I'm alright." 

"Are you sure?" Michael raised his eyebrow. Well, Mikleo could think of some things he would like to get but the image of tired Michael running around to fulfill his requests left a bad taste in his mouth. His hands gripped the soft towel as he forced a bright smile.

"Yes." 

After those words, his uncle sat down on the hospital chair with a loud sigh. Despite looking worn out Michael seemed just as always, fresh straight hair landed on his shoulders, his professor suit was perfect and his eyes gleamed with wisdom. He was the man Mikleo deeply admired and always thought as an example who he wanted to be when he grows up. 

"So what doctors said about your lungs? Any chance for you to get a new one?" Michael started the conversation and Mikleo sat beside his uncle on the hospital bed.

"No, my state is too good. There are the worst cases than me."

"You're barely breathing! Do they wait for you to start trash like fish out the water or something?" Michael said angrily making Mikleo avert his eyes down on the ground. The light brown haired man was furious at the doctors and procedures but Mikleo had felt as guilty as it was his own fault. 

"H... how are the new students?" Mikleo tried to change the uncomfortable topic. There wasn't anything he or Michael could do at the moment. Silly, daily talk sounded like a lot better option, at least it wouldn't make Michael angry. 

"Well, some cheeky brats like always and few lazy people who just decided to study the history since they couldn't get anywhere else. You know. 'It will be easy. I will get paper of finishing good University without learning anything'" 

"Well, I bet you have a few ones who look promising."

"Maybe, but no one as gifted as you."

The young Mikleo would grin widely happy about such prise. Yet, he was now who he was. He knew he lacked proper education and probably will never get one. He was good at Humanities, at least this what his private teachers said and Michael but he wasn't so sure. Not like he could check their opinions it in the real life.

For a next hour, Mikleo and Michael talked a little about University, the hospital and Michael's new book.

 

"Uncle, I wanted to ask you something, if that isn't a problem."

The older man sighed tiredly but his eyes looked at Mikleo gently.

"You're never a problem Mikleo."

"Yeah, I'm sorry. So about the Legend of the crimson sword, the one you described inside the first Celestial Record. Is there a chance the Legend from Whanort's to be a continuation the first one?"

After hearing his question, Michael smiled softly making his face look a lot younger. He raised hand under his chin and wondered for a moment.

 

"There is a lot of what they have in common but also many parts that questions such possibility. The art style the two main characters is different in each temple, but it's not so strange. Each region and ancient culture has its own art style. The features of the knight are similar but as for mage, there is a lot of changes. The drawings of the first one tell you he was a male when Whanot's one looks more feminine. Still, it looks like mage's appearance was modified later, so the murals would need to be scanned and checked which parts were original and which were added later. As for my personal opinion, I think there is a high chance for them to be connected." Michael with steady and clear voice answered Mikleo's question. His eyes were closed as his mind recalled the places he saw in the past before he wrote the first volume of the Celestial Record. His posture relaxed at the piece of nice memory and when he lifted eyelids the blue eyes shined with joy.

"It's been a while since you asked me about something from the Celestial Record. It made me happy." Michael added softly and with a hint of nostalgia in his voice. The talks about the Celestial Record always reminded both of them about times when Muze was still alive and they all believed Mikleo's story will end happily. 

 

"I see..." Mikleo said but to tell true he didn't know how to answer his uncle's words. He felt like a lost kid instead twenty-four-year-old man even if they were the same high now.

"Can I ask you what made you create such hypothesis?" Michael asked with clear curiosity in his voice.

"Well, it's not mine, we have new hospital personnel and it's a person who likes history too, he seems to love your books and we talked a little yesterday."

 

On Mikleo's words, Michael's face crossed with a worry.

"Do he know you are my family?" 

Mikleo shook his head.

"No. And don't worry, he seems like a good person. He was familiar with other books I have here too."

 

"Good, the last thing I want is for you to be hurt by some kind of messed up 'fan'. I will never forgive myself what happened to Lailah once." Michael looked over his knees recalling an author meeting when some fan started to threw books and items at the man because Michael didn't agree with them and one of the books hit Lailah. It was long, long before Michael and Lailah broke out, but still, the older man hated that day with all his heart. Mikleo remembered how back then Lailah said she would be more hurt if Michael dealt with that person alone.

 

"He works here as a nurse, for now he seems sane and pretty normal."

"Well, you always had a good eye for a people, so I will believe your judgment. In the end, my life in University become easier after you introduced me to Eizen. But remember, if something bad happens then call me immediately."

"I will. Thank you."

"It's time for me to go. I will try to visit you once I come back from the tour. Here, this should be enough for three weeks. Don't hold back in asking hospital's personnel to buy things for you. They got paid to take care of you." Michael had leaned into his bag and put into Mikleo's hand a paper money.

 

"I made a transfer to Eizen's account too, so he or Edna should drop by in next week with shopping as always. Don't hesitate to call me if something changes in your situation."

"I won't. Take care of yourself during the tour." This was all Mikleo could do for the person who cared about him so much; say some good words for a goodbye. It was frustrating. He wanted to help Michael but instead, he took another money so he could somehow survive. He was the endless dark hole eating away his family's finances without giving anything back.

After Michael left Mikleo still felt bad and useless. He couldn't fall asleep, rolling on the bed until his body called for a trip to the toilet. With a feeling like someone hit his chest with a hammer, Mikleo moved out the bed and followed slowly into the corridor. It was past the midnight but the hospital's floor was never empty or totally quiet. There was always light coming from nurse's room. A soft machine noise created by vending machine filled the half-lighted corridor. Even now Mikleo saw two men heading towards the bathroom too. Just like Sorey supported Mikleo few days before, now he held the other patient helping him walk through the corridor. At the first, they didn't notice Mikleo as they were lost in the conversation.

"Mr. Tanaka, you don't need to push yourself. I can always give you a catheter."

"I will repeat that for the last time. I going to use a toilet. The day I start to do under myself will be a day when I end my life."

"Please, don't say such things, Mr. Tanaka."

"You still are young and healthy. It's too early for you to understand."

Sorey with heavy sigh grabbed a handle leading to the bathroom when he noticed Mikleo. The nurse looked from Mr. Tanaka to Mikleo with slight worry in his eyes. In Sorey's head probably played a scenario what he could do if he had to catch both men at once. It must be it. It was natural for others to think Mikleo will fall on the floor from lack of oxygen and they weren't too wrong. Even if might have been overthinking now, it was almost certainly something like this will happen in next few months.

For now, Mikleo leaned over the corridor's wall looking quietly at the other patient and nurse.  
"I can wait, you can use the toilet first."  
Sorey nodded in agreement and he hasn't wasted any moment disappearing with Mr. Tanaka behind the doors.

While leaning his head against cold wall Mikleo has thought about the past. How he was carried by someone from hospital's staff into the toilet after surgeries because it was too humiliating to make others clean after him. The memory of all those times where there was no other choice but to use the catheter. Or how bad it was when his liver stopped working. He could call his current days really good, he was able to walk around on his own. He should feel happy. He wasn't the one who was now getting helped by the nurse to use the toilet.

Yet, Mikleo felt his hands tremble and he crossed his hands to somehow stop cold which didn't come from the low temperature of the night. His face was leaned down when he heard warm, but little sleepy voice.  
"We are done," Sorey said as he helped Mr. Tanaka to sit down on the corridor's chair. The older man looked at him understandingly. Even without words, Mikleo could feel Mr. Tanaka treated him as equal, the equal one on the road of dying.

Mikleo went into the toilet as fast as he could to escape such gaze. As soon as the door closed his breath has become erratic and shallow. He should be used to this, he longed for death so many times... Then why it still made him terrified from time to time? Mikleo understood his situation. Not everyone was able to get their transplantation. He got his new liver in the last possible moment. How long will his lungs be able to work like this? He already breathed with only half of his left lung and two-thirds of his right one. And what if his cancer returns? We will get discarded from the transplantation list for sure.

The sob escaped his already uneven breath. Yet, he ignored it and leaned towards the toilet to do what he came for. 

 

Mikleo felt mentally down during the next day. He wasn't in a mood to even get up from the bed beyond times when he had to. The two days after Michael's visit Mikleo still felt depressed when Sorey walked into his room with a daily dose of medicines. The purple-eyed male heard steady steps of the nurse and fought with all his might to not bury himself under the quilt until world's end. He didn't care to change or brush his hair so they stood in all possible directions like wavy roots of the mystical tree. 

"Should I call Dr. Uno?" Sorey asked worriedly walking closer towards the curled figure in the bed.   
"No, there's no need for that," Mikleo raised up, not wanting to look even more pathetic, and moved to sit on the edge of his bed grabbing glasses from bedstand. He reached out his hand to take pills but instead, Sorey positioned non-contact thermometer towards his head.

"Hmm... you have a minimal fever, but it's really nothing to deeply worry about," the nurse said after checking out the medical item.  
"I told you I'm alright," Mikleo said and reached annoyed for the plastic cup with pills in Sorey's hand. For a small moment when the albino swallowed the medicines, Sorey said nothing. Instead, he slowly and carefully sat on the edge of the bed beside Mikleo.

"Do you still want to talk about history while lunchtime?"   
This was surely not a question Mikleo had expected at that moment. His hand gripped the cup harder as he decided to ask the question which bothered him for a while. His depressed mind wanted to end this unsure situation. It was better to end it as fast as possible than letting it hunt his soul for next months. He preferred the truth before his lungs give up completely.

"Why do you want to talk with me?"  
The green eyes widen a little before nervous chuckle left Sorey's mouth. 

"Well, because of this." Sorey turned around waving over the bookshelf. "I know it would be possible to find some history fan online, but I never liked to talk through the computer. It's just like printed and electronic books. They both nice but I always loved physical interaction. And when I saw your collection I knew you really love history and architecture just as I am. It's not false, or to just show off."

Mikleo's hands moved from plastic cup to squeeze the material of his pajama instead as his eyes stayed focused on the floor.

"This is all I could do... this... those books... reading them was the only thing I could do in my life." He said with the pained voice. This wasn't like him, to talk about his matters like this with another person. He always had a hard time to be honest about his feelings during Lailah's sessions. This man was stranger. Yet, this time he couldn't hold back the words that tortured him for so long. It was only one matter, probably the one on smaller ones but anyway important and wounding his soul. 

"Do you regret reading and having them here?" Sorey asked next unusual question. The silence filled the room. Sorey's green eyes were fixed on the window, giving Mikleo needed space and time. 

"No. I love them, I want to know and understand every single thing on their pages. Every ruin, every unknown culture and their history. I love them all, I want to know even more about them. Even if I could do anything else, I would still love and choose those books" the tick of emotion voice almost shout, like this was necessary or else the things he cared about so deeply would end up hurt. 

"It's just like me then. Well, I had more choices, but in the end, I always loved history books above all else." Sorey said with a gentle and cheerful smile. His green eyes finally landed on Mikleo again. 

"I would be sad if you had wished something else and you couldn't do it because of your health condition. I'm glad it was something you had chose at the end and history matters excite you too. We both love books. This is not something to look down on and it isn't something to be ashamed of. So why not share this passion with each other? If you like, of course."

Mikleo's heart sank at those words. He always felt worse for having such passion. It wasn't wrong for his father, Michael or Eizen to love history, but it felt wrong in his case. The disappointed or bored looks of people in his age when he talked about history. The ignorance of the hospital's personnel or other patients when he tried to talk about those matters. During all those years he felt like inferior to everyone else. Like when doctors proposed him to enter wheelchair basketball team but he didn't like it in the end. Or others told him to do something 'productive' but he was so sick and he couldn't even sew single thing on Lailah's therapy activities. He returned to his books... To something he really loved... But he lost true happiness of reading along the way. 

He didn't want to talk about his uneasiness and feelings of being second-rate to his mother, while she was still alive of course, or to his uncle. They thought of his passions and growth as the most amazing thing in the world, but could it be accurate? Somehow Mikleo couldn't believe them fully. They loved him so they would never say something that could hurt him. Something like white lie existed for some reason, right?

Besides, how could he complain about the fact the others looked at him like on the failure when he was already caused so much trouble to the people beside him? 

But, now, for the first time over the years he heard from a stranger the words providing it was really alright, his passion wasn't something worse than others. Mikleo had to close his eyelids for a moment to make his eyes stop burning. He didn't want to show how weak he really is while Sorey was watching him. 

Mikleo thanked heaven when Sorey's work phone rang getting attention away from him. The brown-haired man checked it's monitor, his eyebrows frowned for a moment before his palms started to slide picking some number from a menu.

"Natalie? Could you check upon Miss Irina? Hm? Sorry, I'm with another patient. Thank you." 

Sorey lowered his phone looking with gentle understanding at Mikleo who hid face behind his hand feeling embarrassment warming up his cheeks.

"You... you should have gone help Miss Irina. You don't need to sit with me when others need more help."  
"Well, your state just as important as any other patient, so if Natalie can handle it then I don't see a reason why I should go."  
"I do not feel any wrong."  
"Yeah, you right. You seem better now."

There was no way to hide his face more after Sorey's comment to not look even more ridiculous. It didn't help the brown-haired man looked very pleased with Mikleo's embarrassment. It almost felt like times then Edna teased him, but at the same time totally different. It was more warm feeling like Sorey had done it more for Mikleo's sake than his own. 

"The Icarus myth." The white-haired male said quietly but enough loud for Sorey to heard him after moving his eyes from the floor back towards the other man. 

"Huh?" The nurse looked over his patient totally lost. Somehow Mikleo couldn't hold back a small smile. Sorey's reaction was just so nice and satisfactory. Perfect payback for those few times when he made Mikleo embarrassed. 

The smaller male crossed his arms trying to look sassy but his messed up hair and normin pajama must have ruined all effect he tried to accomplish.

"You wanted to know last time what is my favorite legend. It's Icarus myth." 

"Ooohhh. Mind to tell me why?" Sorey asked with an excited voice, his body moving closer to the other male. He acted like Mikleo's answer was as important as numbers of a big lottery. To be this close with someone aside from medical treatment was rare during his last years in hospital. The purple-eyed man wasn't sure if he disliked how small space between their bodies become so he didn't move away. Once more Mikleo turned his face a little towards the wall, trying to hide it from Sorey's smile since he felt his own checks were warming up again. 

"I always... No, it's not important..." 

"Aww, come on! Please finish, you are making me really curious."  
Sorey almost begged with a voice full of pure excitement. Even if it was embarrassing there was no way to say no to such harmless request. It's not like answering could make Mikleo a less intelligent. The normal people usually talked about silly things like this, right? 

"I like how clever Daedalus was to make wings in the first place to escape from his prison. It was an unusual way of thinking and yet he made it work out. I was impressed by this invention when I first heard it as a child.  
Beside the matter of idea alone, I always thought it would be nice to have a chance to fly anywhere and anytime, that's all. Of course, I wouldn't be like this idiot Icarus and kill myself this stupid way. Are you happy with the answer?" 

"Very happy. Hmmm... The Icarus myth... You really like antiquity. I guess that shouldn't be strange, this era really fits you..."   
"Fits me? What you mean?"

Sorey's face turned red and the other man almost jumped away from Mikleo's bed. This time it was the smaller man's time to be surprised, or how to react. All he could do was to look how nurse again scratched backside of his neck nervously with uneasy chuckles escaping his lips. 

"It... It's just... Maybe I will check if Natalie doesn't need help. Maybe Irina wanted an extra-sized pillow or she can't find a remote. I will be happy to continue or talk at the lunchtime. I'm sorry but I need to go." Sorey babbled while averting his eyes. Mikleo raised his eyebrow taken aback by other man's messed up explanation. Before leaving, a nurse stopped and once more smiling brightly at him and waving his hand.  
"See you later."

"Honestly, what was all of this about?" Mikleo said aloud after a moment of silence that took place after Sorey left the room. It was so strange. Still, Mikleo couldn't feel any bad intention in anything Sorey has done on said. Even in this odd way of changing the topic. What was Sorey about to say to make him so frustrated? Mikleo was curious and maybe a little worried. There was no way to know the answer beside asking Sorey himself. But would the other man answer? And do Mikleo wanted to really know it? Maybe it was better to leave it as a mystery. 

Mikleo sighed loudly and raised up from his bed. At least he could fix himself a little before Sorey return for their history talk during the lunch. On his way back from bathroom the albino picked up few books from his shelf. He found a nice topic to talk about after Michael's visit. Will Sorey be familiar with it? Will they have a different view on it again? 

Everything was strange, new and there was no guarantee it will not end badly, but it might be his last chance to feel right before his state get worse. And Sorey somehow made him feel this way.


	7. Chapter 7

The yellow flashes in the air. The well-known logo, the rustle of colorful paper pages, this perfect balance of text and pictures. The familiar and nostalgic design danced high in the air together with Sorey's hand.   
"Mikleo, the new National Geographic is out! And look, there is some amazing article about Water Releasing Festival, which takes place in Sichuan Province! Look at this palace near the river!"

Like every other lunchtime Sorey sat beside Mikleo's bed ready for next conversation. Not wasting any moment he opened the magazine on the said article showing Mikleo the breathtaking photos.   
The smaller male looked with nostalgy over the paper pages. It was a while when he had a new release of this magazine before his eyes and just like in past it warmed his heart. 

"It's amazing, right? Mikleo, do you like Chinese or Japan traditional patterns?"   
The purple eyed-man nodded and smiled a little while his fingers followed edges of the picture. 

"Yeah, I like them. I love European antique but I also like how Asian cultures used colors and lines in their art. How about you?" 

It was a natural flow of their conversations by now. Sorey asked him for archeological or history preferences and Mikleo never waited long to ask back. Most times, his anxiety won over any kind of curiosity when he talked with others, but Sorey's the warm, excited and honest voice helped Mikleo from holding back. It felt like talking with Sorey was part of his life for more than three or four weeks by now.

The nurse looked straight into Mikleo's face, the green of his eyes lightens up after question.  
"I love them! It's the best when they use reds and golden colors in their designs. It feels so warm."

It made sense.   
Surely a man so bright and kind as Sorey would like warm things. At least in Mikleo's thoughts. Maybe because his own soul was now cold and empty after all he went through he rather went with whites and blues. 

"Do you like to read rest of this release?" The nurse asked at the end of their talk. Mikleo raised his head from above next interesting article just to look at Sorey with wide eyes. 'Yes' he wanted to say but he bit down those word before it escaped his mouth. The sound of his voice would reveal how excited and happy he was about Sorey's proposition. 

"Would it be okay?" He cleared his throat and asked slowly after some quiet moment.  
"It's not like you would eat it and I never see it again, right?" Sorey teased making Mikleo huff.  
"Of course I won't."   
"Then it's alright. I already read the most interesting articles twice last evening." 

With those words, Sorey raised from the chair, grabbed his lunchbox and moved towards the doors to resume his duties. At least this what Mikleo thought he would do. It looked like Sorey had some other idea in mind. He stopped near Mikleo's bookshelf and he began to look at it carefully searching for something bending his body from side to side. Sorey's face looked so puzzled and funny that Mikleo had to hide an amused smile behind the hand. 

"Mikleo, do you like National Geographic, you prefer other magazines or you base your knowledge only on books?" The nurse asked after he finished looking around.

"Well, every source is important in my opinion, even television. And yeah, I like National Geographic... It's just..." The albino lowered eyes down on shiny pages of the magazine. This matter was another one that made him feel ashamed.

"It's just?" Sorey asked interested in the matter, yet quietly without much pressure for an answer.   
"I didn't want to bury this room under a mountain of history and science magazines... and I don't have many chances to buy them." Mikleo said only half of the whole story, the better part. The other was about the fact he also felt bad each time he spend Michael's money on his own enjoyment. Such magazines were ones of them.

"Hmm," Sorey hummed and placed fingers under his jaw before smiling brightly as usual.  
"Well, my flat is already filled with old numbers of National Geographic releases. I can lend you them for a while to read. Just name years. Oh, and I have other magazines about history and science if you're interested."

Some part of Mikleo's mind wanted to refuse such nice offer, the one that always felt guilty every time he could get something to make his life better and brighter. His twisted mind whispered to him that wasn't worthy of such kindness. He didn't earn it, so he didn't deserve it.

Meanwhile, Sorey crossed his arms and leaned head slightly to the right side while thinking aloud.   
"Where did I put Biblical Archaeology review? I moved it's collection to some box when Rose was moving away... but... Uh, I hope she didn't take it with her... But at this point she surely would give it back... maybe it's in the second room..."

"Your flat sounds as not a very clean place if you lost the whole box of magazines." The teasing words slipped from the white-haired man's mouth before he gave them a second thought. They didn't hold the mocking intention, yet for a second Mikleo thought Sorey will get mad at him for being such asshole. In the end brunette only raised his head high and his mouth turned into a pout. 

"I'm taking care of my room pretty well, you know? All clean... Well, maybe besides some books laying around... but it's so clean you would be surprised."

"I will believe you if you find those magazines by tomorrow."   
Mikleo didn't know himself where the courage to talk like this came from, at least someone outside his already small 'family'. Still, seeing Sorey's smile made him want to play around even more.   
"Is this a challenge?" The nurse's eyebrow raised and his eyes started to shine. 

"It's just as it sounds." Mikleo smiled sassily and crossed his arms.

"Alright, if I win you will eat with me extra spicy tacos in the cafeteria once elevator will get fixed."  
"Hey, I didn't say there is a prize!"  
"Deal is deal! You made the challenge, there has to be the prize."

Mikleo wanted to say more and continue this playful fight but excitation took his breath away. As it was possible to choke with air.

Sorey fastly stopped smiling and jumped closer ready to do anything, yet there was no way to help the long-haired man during such attacks. He just needed to calm down. Mikleo tried to take as much air as he could but each breath was short and sharp. The purple-eyed male was usually careful to control his breathing so situations like this one, when he wasn't even doing any physical exercises, wouldn't happen. However this time he let himself to be overwhelmed by a moment. 

Mikleo had no other choice but to lay down on the bed and rest. He didn't even notice when Sorey got closer to him and started to rumble around his nightstand. For a moment Mikleo's heavy breathing and the sound of water filling glass filled the hospital room.

"The article about Ancient Roman Tile Work it's very interesting, I think you should read that first." Sorey said warmly after everything was over and Mikleo watered dry walls of his throat. Albino quickly whipped small drops of tears formed against his will in corner of eyes, but Sorey surely saw them. Mikleo tried to tell himself that both of them knew it's a side effect of such intense coughing attacks and it's not like he was crying, yet he felt humiliated. 

"Thank... you." He pushed those two words anyway. It didn't matter how he felt. Sorey was very understanding even as the nurse and he deserved some thanks.

"No problem, that's what are friends for, right?"

Those words made Mikleo froze in his bed. 

Did Sorey really mean that? Or was it one of medical staff trick to make him feel better?

"We... are friends?"   
It was the only quiet question, like a breathy whisper, but Sorey heard it anyway. The green eyes stopped glisten and the whole body of other man slumped a little.  
"Well, if you want to, I thought we were... um... friends... or well, at last something like friendly historical nerds..." 

Sorey's intentions were clear. The whole body langue of the other man was just screaming it wasn't some lie or trick. Sorey wanted to be friend with someone like Mikleo. 

This was the first time since the childhood when someone said such request towards him. Edna and Eizen were totally different matter. They showed in Mikleo's life and just stayed. Like the family he found again after a long parting. They were connected by hardships and cruelty of diseases he and Edna gone through and how they helped each other. It just happened and stayed this way.

Now Sorey asked Mikleo if it was alright for them to deepen their relationship. 

Before speaking back Mikleo tried to push himself again into sitting position. He couldn't imagine answering while laying flat in the hospital bed. His breath almost again became heavy and hands trembled slightly under bed's covers. 

"I... like us to be friends... I really like this idea." He said with breaking voice. This surely wasn't the way the grown-up man should befriend someone. This sounded like a little kid and embarrassment of such fact wanted to drive him under the quilt to hide from the other man.   
But Sorey's eyes started to sparkle again and he looked like he was about to jump from happiness.

"That's great. For a second I thought I forced you to spend time with me, or you just tolerate me because you can't run away."  
"Well, I can't... but..." Mikleo tried to cover his warming up face with the hand making rest of sentence sounded muffed "You are knowledgeable about the history and it's nice to talk with you."

"I feel the same! You know so much! It's the first time I met someone who knows so much! Each time I talk to you I have so much fun and no matter if I had met you here or somewhere else I would try for us to be pals."

The human's heart was able to beat really fast, Mikleo knew that. Not once it wanted to jump off from his chest after he tried to do some tiring exercise like running or trying to get his damaged spine work again.   
This time his heart beat like crazy, but the reason behind it was different. This case was a lot better even if he was worried that his lungs wouldn't manage to support his breathing again. 

"If.. if you really want.. then... we can be... pals, though I won't be able to go out... and drink with you while translating Greece poems..." 

"That's no problem! I'm going much better with coffee, or ice creams! We can..." Sorey started before he was interfered by his ringing phone. 

That's right, Sorey was at work and their conversation already took longer than the lunch break. Mikleo felt hot wave hitting his whole body. Sorey wouldn't have problems because of him, right? 

"Sorry, but Daria calls me to chemotherapy room. You feel good? No attack incoming? You look little paler than normal, I can call doctor Uno to look at you before I go."  
"It's possible for me to look even paler?"   
Sorey chuckled slightly.  
"Alright, I take it as you feeling enough good to call someone in the worst case. See you later, I hope you will like articles."

 

And just like that Sorey walked away leaving Mikleo in his world, those four hospital walls. The albino leaned back on the pillow and looked at the ceiling sighing softly. 

It was so small, the realm of his life. Sorey surely knew bigger, freer and full of people world. Mikleo didn't have anything to offer besides himself and this room, yet he was called a friend for the first time in many years. It felt amazing and unbelievable.

Sorey's proposition, his words, weren't so much more graceful than Mikleo's. The albino heard that some doctors and nurses had awkward social skills since they spend most of their lives studying for their jobs. Was Sorey like this too? 

"Maybe I found someone like me..." Mikleo whispered and raised hands with National Geographic high into the air that it covered his vision of white ceiling. Its colors were beautiful.

Next day Sorey arrived into Mikleo's room before his work dropping into the chair the backpack filled with magazines. 

\--- 

Winter was around the corner and this was the worst in hospital. The management wanted to save some money from heating before it will get really cold, so it was quite warm only in mornings. In the end, nineteen degrees wasn't so low, right? The temperature was slowly cooling down to such temperature and during evening most of the patients cursed under their noses while putting more layers over their pajamas. At least situation looked like this on Mikleo's floor. The Pediatrics wing was always warm. Right now Mikleo wished to be there. He hid hands in slaves of dressing-gown and his legs felt like ice blocks under the socks. There was no other way but to grab some hot coffee from one of the corridor's machines. He surely could make himself some tea that Edna brought him that day with next delivery of food, but he hoped coffee will help his body circulation much better. 

While putting silver coins into machine's slot he heard delighted talk of Anne and Hana. It wasn't that unusual for two patients to grew closer during their therapy so various chitchats from rooms were often heard on almost every hour of the day.

"I need to call Tina to come on Wednesday's afternoon," Hana said. It was not like Mikleo wanted to eavesdrop them, but he had to wait until coffee machine warms up and expectorate his drink.

"Why?" The other woman asked.  
"Sorey has afternoon shift and I like two of them to met."  
"Come on Hana, your daughter already have finance and this kid may already have a girlfriend."

"But I rather want her to have such nice boy like Sorey, hardworking and sweet. I could leave this world in peace knowing she has someone like him."

Because of the machine's buzzing Mikleo could only guess the pause in the conversation was thanks to Anne's sighing at other woman's words.

"Marc isn't that bad, you should give him a chance. Because he has tattoos doesn't mean he's some shady man."

The women's conversation continued again and Anne starting to complain about her's daughter's fiance while Mikleo's plastic cup finally filled up. After carefully grabbing the drink Mikleo moved back into his room. His cold hands started to warm up nicely but his head filled with other wonders. 

Does Sorey have a girlfriend? It didn't look like it was the case, but what Mikleo know? He could say which Greece column design was Sorey's favorite, it was the Ionic one, but not much about his personal life. Sorey stayed in Mikleo's room after work many times by now if the topic of their historical conversation grew too large to fit into Sorey's twenty-minute lunch break. Why would anyone spend their free time with someone like Mikleo instead their lover? 

Sitting on his bed Mikleo took a small sip of his coffee. He winced at its taste. 

Sorey surely could be seen as a good candidate for boyfriend or more. He was hardworking. The only time when Sorey wasn't running around and helping doctors, people or other staff members was during their conversations. 

Mikleo got under the bed's covers and recalled the scene he saw a day before. He wanted to stretch his legs. During a walk around the corridor, Mikleo caught a glimpse of Sorey and Natale leaning over Mr. Patric.

"Sir, does it hurt?" Sorey asked after plugin drip into man's arm.  
"No, thank you." The older man breathed with relief.  
When both nurses moved towards the door Mikleo heard Sorey's happy but quiet down voice.

"Thank you Natalie, for showing me how to do it when veins have a tendency to break. I was so worried about hurting him again."

"No problem, you will learn things with time. I'm surprised you asked me for help." The girl smiled back to her co-worker and she started to add information about a patient state into tablet's application.

"Well, I already asked Daria about many things... Maybe too many. I'm starting to worry she will soon get mad at me. But you know I rather admit I still don't know many things than letting my lack of experience hurt someone. My mom is like this too, but I don't want to bother her too much with questions." Sorey made his usual gesture when he was slightly embarrassed. Natalie turned towards him, her eyebrows furrowed and she crossed her hands. 

"Well, she surely has more experience than me or you from what have you said. If I were in your place I would rather learn from my own mother instead of someone else."

"Oh well... that's complicated... she had a rough year. I want her to forget about it when we see each other."

Natalie stared at Sorey for a moment before she shrugged and returned back to her work.

"I see. Well, it's your choice." 

"You damn machine from hell!" The loud curse filled the space making both nurses jump up from surprise and almost giving Mikleo a heart attack. "Screw you, I exchanged every wire, every electric part and you still don't work right! Fuck it! It will be easier to blow you up and build a new elevator!" 

The curses from hospital's engineer filled the floor again since his win over moody machine didn't last longer than a day. It worked like always, fine for one or two days before freezing between floors again. Sorey's lips and eyebrows raised in the amused smile while Natalie sighed loudly shaking her head in disapproving motion. 

Mikleo moved quietly back to his room with little satisfaction. He knew better to not trust moody machine yet, at least until it would work fine for longer than a week. Not like he won anything. He was more on lose position thanks to the current situation. 

Currently, after Mikleo finished the cup of coffee his mind still wondered about the brown haired nurse. He began to get more and more curious about Sorey with each moment they spent together. 

But how could Mikleo ask brunette about personal matters while he still didn't say a word about Michael to be Sorey's favorite historian or any other information about his own family? 

The matter of his mother or father always hurt but there was another reason behind not touching this topic yet. Mikleo didn't want to see pity in those green eyes or be treated differently than he was treated now. He felt almost like equal during his talks with Sorey. This was too good to let it change. 

Still, part of Mikleo's soul longed to listen to a story about nurse's mother and how the green-eyed man spends his time outside the hospital aside from his historical and archeological hobby.

Just as always albino pushed those feelings and curiosity deep into depths of his heart, hoping for those thoughts to die there. Not like it often worked.

The winter days weren't indifferent to his health. A few days later Mikleo laid down in bed with a runny nose and small fewer. He tried to sleep and get himself together since Eizen was visiting him next morning for usual laundry gathering.

"I can't look even worse than now, it will make him worried..." Mikleo said to himself after blowing his nose. The used tissue joined other ones on the small mountain inside a bin. Making Eizen or Edna worry usually led to them calling Michael and Mikleo surely didn't want him to bother with his state. 

Yet, he couldn't fall asleep. The empty bottle after drops laid in the bin buried under tissues. His chest was heavy and breathing with his mouth only make him feel like he would suffocate once he closes his eyes. It was a similar feeling to every time he had surgery. The bandages were squeezing his body so tightly he couldn't sleep. The doctors or nurses didn't want to make them more lose because wounds healed better this way. 

It was hell, always. 

Mikleo decided to watch some TV with burning from exhaustion eyes. It was past the midnight when Sorey slowly and carefully opened the doors.

"I was right, there was light in under your room's door. Why you don't sleep Mikleo?"

"Because I can't sleep. My nose is killing me." Mikleo sniffed weakly and he prepared for some reprimand from Sorey's mouth for not calling him or doctor. 

"Probably Cirus pills aren't good? Do you want me to bring you some drops?" Sorey asked slowly, his own eyelids were half open.  
"My... my stomach hurts when I take them... Doctor Uno already proposed them earlier when he was checking my state. And for drops, I used the whole bottle today, I think my nose immunized to them." 

"I see." the taller male said before his eyes moved on the TV just to stay there for a second until all tiredness disappeared from his face and lips formed into a smile.

"You're watching Travel Channel!" He said like it was the biggest discovery in the last century. The happy gasp filled the room before Sorey leaned for Mikleo's chair and sat on it.  
The albino looked over the nurse with shock. Before he was able to choose which question he should throw at Sorey first the other man opened his lips.

"I just made round around the whole floor, everyone is sleeping aside from you. Can I stay with you and watch a little before I check everything again? No worries, I am responsible and I have phone with me." He said waving to Mikleo his hospital's equipment. "Please?" he added in the end. 

Well, Sorey was surely always checking everything more than Natalie and Daria. He surely knew what he was doing, right?  
Mikleo cleared his throat before answering.  
"If you get fired it will be your fault."  
"Of course." Sorey yawned loudly "Uh, I should have bought coffee, but the one from the machine is awful."   
"Tell me about it." 

For a moment they watched a documentary about the most beautiful lakes around the world until commercials started. Mikleo used this break to try to clean up his nose a little, but simple things like this always ended hard in his case. The reason was simple. He couldn't take enough air into his lungs to blow into a tissue. After fifth time of trying he just felt mentally and physically exhausted and his nose was full like it was at the start. 

"I'm sorry." Mikleo whispered towards Sorey who only shook his head.

"You don't have to! It's normal when you are sick. I only wish I could help you more... but as always... I'm so powerless."

Probably if Mikleo had more strength he would get annoyed at the other man. 

So what about him? If Sorey was powerless then who was he who spent his whole life in the hospital and who was unable to clean his own damn nose? 

But Sorey leaned forward on the chair so his elbows rested on his laps and sad smile showed on his face. Something in this body langue wasn't right, not right to Sorey at least.

"You know..." the man started and albino held back the irritation knowing that Sorey wanted to say something important.

"I worked for a half year in Ladylake Clinic after I finished the study. There... there wasn't a week for child or two to not die there. And all we... the staff could do was to watch how they have suffered when painkillers weren't enough... And listen to cries and screams of their families. It was all I could do..." The corners of his lips trembled but Sorey didn't let them fall from a forced smile.

"I'm sorry, I didn't want to... You have it hard enough, I didn't want to bother you with such things Mikleo."

"Don't apologize. You are the one who called us friends, right? From what I know, friends aren't just for fun times. You always try to help me somehow... I know it's your work, but sometimes I hope it's... because you really see me as the friend." 

After saying such cheesy confession Mikleo quickly grabbed next tissue and hide flushed face under cover of the next try to blow his nose. Sorey looked for a moment at him with wide eyes before scratching the tip of his nose and showing his real, happy grin.

"I do! I really do think of you as a friend! And thank you for trying to cheer me up."

Mikleo dropped paper tissue down not sure what to do next. In the end, he decided to not let this topic die. Albino thought it could make Sorey feel better after he says aloud what was hunting him. There was not much Mikleo could help with as a friend, but he still had ears.

"So.. you ran away from Ladylake's clinic into our hospital?"   
"Harsh, but true. My family and cousin who I lived with that time couldn't take how I acted while working there... I must have looked pretty... broken that time, so they were really worried. She and my mom talked to me over and over until I agreed to change my workplace. It wasn't easy, people don't look at you with trust when you change your work so fast. Anyway... Here I am." Sorey's body shrank under told memories. Mikleo didn't want to see him helpless like this. 

Sorey had become an important person in his limited world. Mikleo didn't want to bring more sadness to his friend yet he had to say the more harsh truth.

"Sorey, people die here too." Mikleo said quietly. Sorey surely understood this place was still a hospital, right? Their floor was quite lucky lately and no one died past last half year, but only for a half year. No one could know who and when will kick bucket next. 

'I might die too right on your eyes.' He thought but somehow he didn't have the heart to say this very possible truth to the other man.

"I know." Sorey agreed with a broken voice. "As long as I work as the nurse the death will be part of my life. But here, at least I feel like I'm helping, even if it's a little..."

Mikleo wondered why Sorey has chosen such carrier in the first place. His mouth opened in order to ask such question but in last moment he changed mind. The taller man already shared more with him than Mikleo even imagined. Sorey showed him his most valuable self. When green eyes looked at him with such reliance albino's heart sting painfully. 

How many bad days it will take before Sorey's honest heart won't be able to take and he will leave this place too?

The commercials long ended and the documentary about lakes too. Sorey raised from the chair with a forced smile.  
"Thank you Mikleo. You... you really are something. I hope I can get back to watch a little more with you after I check everything?"  
"Sure. I'm not sleeping anyway."  
"Well, I wish you were. It would help you recover faster."

As said Sorey returned to Mikleo's room for another half hour before checking out the others patients again. Next time he showed up past 3 a.m.   
"I'm sorry Mikleo, but I need to stay with Mr. Tamaka, she had chemotherapy yesterday and she doesn't feel well now. I probably will need to wake up doctor Uno to help her too."

"Don't worry... and I hope she will be alright."  
Sorey made few steps forward until he was beside Mikleo and leaned a little to give the other man a big pack of tissues and a new bottle of medical drops from his pockets.

"Thank you for listening to me earlie, and please try to get some sleep. I will try to check on you before my shift end."

Mikleo nodded his head.   
"He's too good for this job." He whispered to himself after brunette left. This was probably the first time he thought this sentence without sarcasm.


	8. Chapter 8

Since that night, Sorey joined Mikleo when his shift let him and when albino couldn't sleep. Next time it happened green eyed nurse took some paperwork with him, so he could work while two of them shared a small hospital room. Sometimes they talked a little, the other times nurse worked quietly and Mikleo watched TV until he fell asleep. Often Sorey was gone when the smaller man opened his eyes again. 

Beside the presence of Sorey in Mikleo life, nothing else changed. The long-haired man woke in the morning, cleaned up in half cold shower, made himself a breakfast, waited for a usual tour of doctors checking out the patients. 

"You look better, just like Edna said." Eizen told him one morning. Mikleo was already past morning checkup. The students commented on his current situation and recited his medical history while Doctor Lawrence huffed annoyed when they made some mistakes. Thankfully Mikleo's state wasn't at the point when they could learn how to put on a drip on him. Not once he ended with bruises or broken veins after such lessons. The lack of such unpleasant experiences didn't change the fact he always felt like an animal in a Z.O.O during such checkups. 

Eizen walked around the room setting down clean laundry and some fresh pastry.   
"I do?" Mikleo asked Eizen's previous statement.  
"You still look like shit, but there's a glimpse of light in your eyes. Did you manage to sort out things during Lailah's meetings?"  
"I... I don't. We see each other from time to time... but... I don't think we made much progress." 

"Something works for sure and that alone it's enough for me. But Edna gets curious. Don't be surprised if she starts to show up more often to figure out what's going on."

"Nothing is going on. There is just some new personnel here which treats us, patients, more kind. There is someone I can talk to. Like a human to human."   
"That's good to hear. I remember how many times Edna have told me stories about some medical staff treating her like garbage. Remember, you are nothing less the other people. You should learn how to talk back to such assholes and don't feel bad about it."

Eizen threw up his hands and dark leather coat rustled loudly. To strangers, Edna's brother looked like a dangerous man and it wasn't far from the truth. Eizen was a someone you should be afraid of. Once someone got in his way or hurt someone he cared about they had the only option; to run and pray to never meet the blue-eyed man again. 

Eizen was scary like a devil but lucky Mikleo got to know his nicer side. They had few things in common too. Like love for history, thought Eizen focused more on artifacts while Mikleo loved ruins more. The both of them, and Edna too, couldn't swim at all. Michael had promised through joking one time to take three of them to the pool or lake after Mikleo gets better. The purple-eyed man couldn't help but smile sadly at such words no matter if he heard them for the first time or they were just a recalled memory. Probably Eizen and Edna had such future ahead of them. Maybe he should ask Michael for going to the sea with both of them during next summer instead of waiting for him forever.

Compare to Mikleo Eizen kinda liked to be teased by Edna. Sometimes it was easy for a lot smaller girl to overtake her older brother, the other times Eizen just let her have her way, smiling with tender love when he thought no one watched him.

Mikleo quickly earned the title of the youngest member of their family. And he was teased by both of them a lot. 

One time Edna mocked him with a question 'if he doesn't have a crush on Eizen?'. At that point, she already forced out from him the information about his preferences. She had so much fun with smiling sassy at Mikleo's fierce denials, but it was true. Even with their shared hobby and Eizen's body build to be something he would like to see in his partner Mikleo just didn't feel this kind of love for the other man. Besides, Mikleo wasn't sure if his state would ever let him feel affection towards the other person while focusing all the time on his health and mental problems. Probably that part of him was already dead. Even his sexual desires reduced to taking care of himself once per many months when his body really needed it. 

After pushing Mikleo's clothes into wardrobe Eizen noticed the history magazines lent by Sorey. With a loud curious hum, the big man leaned in order to check them out. He shuffled releases for a moment yet not a single word was said about the small collection. Probably he thought Michael was one who bought them from University's library. 

"Mikleo." Eizen started with a serious tone.  
"Yes?"  
"I've already mentioned this to Michael and now I like to ask you about one matter. Me and Edna would like to invite both of you for Chrismas and New Year. You can sleep in my room. Do you think doctors will let you out?"

"I don't know, it's a nice offer but not worth the trouble. Your flat isn't big, I can't take your space and..."  
"We are inviting you because we want it. If you will feel guilty by taking my room for a few days let me say one thing. I have slept in the worst places than a couch. Few days living on comfortable furniture won't make much change."

"Still, you two already do so much for me. I can't..."  
"Mikleo." Eizen said without raising his voice, yet it closed Mikleo's mouth.

"Listen, kid. You supported Edna when I couldn't. You were by her side while I fought with all the legal stuff after our parents kicked us out and left us with her disease alone. I wouldn't make it without Michael's help. You two were better family to us than our real parents ever were."

Mikleo nodded his head. 

He recalled the night when Edna opened to him. It was kind of side effect of chemotherapy. The girl's body never reacted well to its sessions. After scaring away all nurses she sat beside toilet doors, exhausted and waiting for next vomit attack. The hospital stuff was watching her from away, but something in Mikleo's mind said he should sit beside her even if Edna would start to throw curses at him. 

That night Mikleo heard about how awful her parents were and Eizen being one who really has raised her. That they called her 'setback' and many other awful things. She also told him about the day when she passed out. She was laying on the floor for three or four hours until Eizen has come back home because their parents were too drunk to care. Since her diagnosis, they were on their own alone and homeless. Eizen was living with a friend and Edna stayed in the hospital. 

"We were thinking about inviting both of you last year, but this damn lawsuit wasn't yet over." Eizen sat on chair sighing tiredly.  
"It took a while... it's good you won." Mikleo moved on his bed sitting more close to the other man like it could help him feel better or erase the bad memories.

"We won but we still got only small pieces of the whole amount those two fuckers should pay us and we will probably never see the rest of it."  
"Compensation...It was for three or four years?" Mikleo asked trying hard to recall what he heard from Michael.  
"Three because Edna was fifteen when they kicked us out."

There was a moment of silence between them. Mikleo moved eyes away from the other man's face. It was hard to listen to all of this. He himself had a rough life but Muze and Ruzrov loved him until their last breath. Michael never left him alone too. Both of the blond-haired siblings were strong like rocks or mountains in his eyes. 

Eizen slowly raised from the chair and after putting hands on his hips started a conversation again.  
"I can ask doctors by myself if they will let spend those few days outside the hospital." 

Mikleo quickly shook his head.  
"No, I will ask them myself and let you know." 

Michael was the part of this idea so he couldn't protest. His uncle deserved the world and if he wished for them four to spend some time together during the holidays then he will do his best to make it happen. The small part of this heart, one that still kept the glitter of hope alive, was so happy. He didn't leave hospital on holidays for three years. Something always went wrong, or his state got worse or Michael had to work. The proposition for this year was a surprise since his uncle was currently working on the next book. 

Mikleo guessed Michael will spend his days off from University to make some edits on material he already wrote with small breaks to visit him in the hospital. Looks like plans had changed.

"Good. Edna will be one to come next week."  
"Alright. Thank you and good luck with work."  
"Thanks, kid."

\----  
Even simple things always lead to some problems. Eizen's invitation for Chrismas and New Year was like this too. Slowly walking around the corridor Mikleo was boiling inside with shame. He was careful to not erupt during his lunchtime talk with Sorey, the interesting topic of castles in France helped a lot. Now the nurse returned to his duties and Mikleo forced small smile each time they met in the corridor. 

Until he almost collided with a tower of the paper boxes. He stepped back in last moment just like a person who carried packages. The box on top wobbled dangerously so albino quickly raised his hands to keep it in place.

"Oh my, Mikleo. I'm so sorry. Did I hit you?" The worried yet cheerful voice of Lailah was the first thing Mikleo noticed before woman's face showed from behind box tower.

"No. You didn't... Do you need help with this?" He asked hopefully. Maybe his spine will manage to carry a box or two and that let him feel less useless.

Lailah looked over him for a moment before smiling her best kindly way.

"It would be nice." With those words, she made few steps towards corridor's chairs settling down the boxes. She started to sort them out on two piles until turning around to face Mikleo again.

"You can take those boxes."   
The three boxes which Lailah left for him were quite big but when the man lifted them they weighed almost nothing. The part of him started to wonder what was inside them, while the other thought about the possibility of Lailah carrying a lot heavier packs in her small female hands. 

"Shall we go?" The woman asked Mikleo.

The way to Lailah's cabinet wasn't long, yet this short walk dried a lot of Mikleo's strength. The psychiatrist tried to not look back at him but the long-haired man could feel her concern. Lailah's hair was like something from the fantasy world. They would probably touch the floor if not braid. And they were so white. Lailah was albino just like Mikleo probably. He couldn't imagine how much work it could take to dye such long hair and by now he would surely catch a sign of her re-growing natural color during all these years. She always wore glasses too. In past, back when she and Michael were dating, her glasses were round and red. Almost silly looking. With passing time she changed it to smaller rectangular ones making her look even more professional and graceful. She was almost forty but she wanted for everyone to treat her like an older sister.

 

By the time they arrived in Lailah's office, Mikleo had to stop twice in order to take some deep breaths. 

"You can put boxes on the desk." the woman told him warmly after setting down her own packages. "I will make some tea, would you like to have some?"

Mikleo stepped back and let his eyes fall down on the ground.  
"I wasn't appointed and..."  
"It's thanks for helping me out. We don't have to do session right now if that's your concern. I don't have any other patient right now so I wanted to prepare materials for crafting club. Wouldn't you like to know what you helped me with?"

To tell truth Mikleo was curious. He could guess what Lailah had in her plans because of incoming events and Mikleo always liked to proof his assumptions were right. He could probably see later what the other patients will craft as they usually walk past his doors with their creations, but there was a spark of excitement in his heart when he looked over the closed boxes. 

"Well... I think if I won't bother you... then I can stay." He said in the end. 

Lailah faced him, her smile for a moment reminded Mikleo of his mother when she was sad about his health. That moment quickly disappeared when the psychiatrist loudly clapped her hands.  
"Then, shall we unpack boxes first before water boil?" 

Mikleo nodded and it didn't take long before he discovered a branches of coniferous trees, colorful ornaments, candles, bigger and smaller baskets and a lot of small decorations.

"I managed to force out some better budget from the finance department," Lailah said proudly like she was merry Christmas bell herself.   
Mikleo nodded, this was quite nice materials. Good to make decorations for holiday's table or to create some Christmas wreath. A small voice in his head whispered lucky that this was the perfect solution to his problems but he quickly told it to shut up. 

"Would you like to create something this year? You don't have to sit with others, you can take materials to your room... but I only have one liquid plastic pistol to glue all together so I can't lend you it for very long." 

Mikleo wasn't sure what to answer. He wanted to give something to Edna, Eizen and Michael since they will spend holidays together, but once again he had to use other people's kindness to make his wishes come true. He didn't want to spend Michael's money, he didn't want to use the hospital's materials. He wanted to earn and buy gifts for people who had done so much for him on his own. He wasn't a child who thanked his family with a self-made painting anymore. 

He stood before the open box, looking over decorations like a lost ghost. He remained like this until Lailah dragged one of the boxes down on the floor and put on its place two cups with hot tea. 

"I got a better budget this year since I agreed to help decorate children wing. I would be happy with any help if you feel like taking part in it."

It was like Lailah was able to read his mind. She always had prepared something to do or to say. Something Mikleo needed at that moment. Yet, it was so hard to accept her helping hand. Mikleo wondered so many times by now it would be different if Michael didn't break their relationship? I was all because of him, right? If not Mikleo Michael would surely be with her, right?

No. 

He shook his head while keeping his eyes locked to the ground. 

Those thoughts weren't right and he knew it. It was a lie which his sick mind created over and over. Michael and Lailah meet because he was hospitalized. His existence was essential to current history and there was a reason for everything, even him being born. He only wished for uncle to be happy and the moments when he saw Michael and Lailah together lead his heart to think of them as soulmates.

His trembling hands reached for a cup with tea. He had to chase away this train of thoughts. He just had to stop to act like a whiny child and accept Lailah's offer. He decided on his own to not try to seek any help from the others psychiatrists in hospital. It wasn't Lailah's fault he was feeling awkward around her and that he was so messed up. Besides, she understood him the best from all specialists he had got to know during his hospital life.

"If you think I will be good for this task then I like to help... Can I just..." his voice broke a little before voicing his request. It was alright. His help would be like pay, right? It was what he wanted... right?

"Yes?" Lailah said slowly and smiled encouraging from above her steaming cup.

"Can I make two or three decorations for myself? Edna and Eizen invited me and... uncle for holidays." Mikleo started before he was interrupted by a loud gasp from woman's mouth. At first, he thought it was because he mentioned Michael. Before regret attacked him Lailah put down her cup and beamed to him like the sun.

"Of course you can! That's wonderful! Did you talk with anyone for permission yet?"  
"Y.. yeah. I talked with Dr. Uno. He wasn't very happy, he gave me a long speech about Christmas and New year being the worst time possible because people just seek out for the troubles and injuries. And about how busy are ambulances during that time, so I had to be sure I won't do anything that may cause the hospital to send one for me too. But.. he agreed, kinda, if my state will be good."

"Then we need to make the best decorations out of those materials. I just know Edna will love some cute wreath to hang in her room's window, not like she would admit it aloud." 

"Probably not." Mikleo smiled a little thinking back at Edna declining her love for strange cute things. It might be hard for him to help Lailah as much as she needed but he will try. He will make the best possible decorations for Children Wing in exchange of ability to make gifts for his family. He knew Lailah would let him make them for free too.

Mikleo's hands clenched over the edge of the paper box. 

He couldn't consider this as his first job. In the end, the other patients not once helped Lailah in her charity actions. But at least he could be useful before his time runs out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No much Sorey in this chapter, but he will be in next one, I promise. Just Lailah's scene took me longer than I thought and I was pretty busy in my vacation time, unlucky on helping with renovation of my home's roof and second floor and cleaning.


	9. Chapter 9

Mikleo's hands trembled around a hot glue-filled-pistol and he fought with all his might to not throw it through the window in frustration. The liquid plastic almost fell over the part of Chrismas decoration where he didn't want it to be. With a low growl of defeat, Mikleo put down the pistol on a metallic tray as he was aware the possibility to destroy his current work if he continues in such state. 

It wasn't like he hadn't done anything yet. During past week he managed to help a lot with decorations for Children's Wing. The two stands for holiday's table and one big wreath were laying under his bed ready to be given at the time of Christmas too. 

Dr. Uno told him that morning to not eat anything so that's why his hands trembled more than usually.

"I've heard someone is going home on Christmas." the happy voice of Sorey broke down the silence in Mikleo's room.  
The tall male entered through the door with another metallic tray. 

"Only if my state will be good. And I'm not going home. We... me and my uncle, are invited to... well... someone you can call our family." Mikleo answered looking over equipment Sorey brought with him. Unopened needles, sample tubes and everything else necessary for taking a blood sample.

"I see. Anyway, I hope you will have fun. Which arm you prefer to do?" 

Mikleo without question started to pull up the sleeves knowing well what Sorey meant by this question. 

"It doesn't matter." he showed arms to the nurse. After so many years of putting needles there, they rather looked like arms of the drug-addicted guy than anything else. Sorey's face twisted with deep concern at such view. 

"You can take samples from my hands if that would help you." Mikleo voiced another option already used many times on him.  
"No, I will try to do it normally. Do they tend to break?" Sorey asked taking one of Mikleo arms into his warm hands. His green eyes focused on finding vein enough exposed for a task.  
"Yeah." 

In a moment like this Mikleo always recalled how one time, when he was still a teenager, some inexperienced nurse tried to take his blood sample. The needle was sliding into his flesh for half an hour over and over again while vein was already broken. Even now, Mikleo remembered that day's pain and big purple bruise which didn't want to disappear for almost a month. He'd gone through a lot worse experiences, still, he felt discomfort during each blood test.

Sorey shuffled for a moment through packed needles before he found one he desired. Soon nurse's hand wrapped around Mikleo's arm holding it in place. The albino averted his eyes focusing his mind on Sorey's warm fingers while needle pierced his skin.

The moments like this one, when he was checked out or tested, were the only opportunities to have physical contact with another human. He barely remembered Michael's embrace on Muze's funeral. Sometimes Eizen patted his shoulder in a friendly way or Edna poked him with fingers or her favorite umbrella. But that was all. He was grown up man. It would be strange to ask someone to hug him like a little child.

Sorey's fingers were warm against his skin. It was even more comforting since Sorey was his friend. After a minute or so the nurse raised from above Mikleo's arm with a relaxed smile.

"It looks good. I don't think it will leave a bruise but better don't do much with this arm for a while."

Mikleo nodded and took from Sorey sterile gauze. The blood sample landed in the labeled tube a few moments later and the nurse began to leave the room. 

"They have tomato soup, cheese soup, croquettes and potato pancakes as today's specials." Sorey turned around and announced the cafeteria info. Mikleo lowered his flushed from the embarrassment face. Of course, Sorey had to joke to someone about the fact 'how much Mikleo loves chicken soup because he gets it every day'. Of course that someone had to be Lailah who told the nurse the truth. Since that day Sorey always checked the cafeteria's menu for him even if green-eyed man usually didn't eat there.

"Thanks." Mikleo breathed out in an almost pouty way. It surely helped his diet but it didn't have fact it made him feel a little ashamed.  
Sorey waited indoors until Mikleo gave his order.  
"Then... croquettes and... cheese soup..."   
"Okay, I will let them know. See you later." 

Around an hour later Mikleo got his meal. Besides his two requests, there was a big glass of carrot juice and a pack of candies. Torn between the feeling of shame and happiness Mikleo looked over the tray. 

Sorey probably saw his shaking hands that's why candies were there.  
Sorey wanted for Mikleo to get better after taking the blood sample and that's why he added carrot juice to his request.  
Sorey was so warm, his hands were so warm, smile to...

Maybe he... No. He should make some Christmas decorations for Sorey too. Even if it won't fit Sorey's taste then there is always a chance Sorey will need some present for his family. This was all he could do in order to repay for Sorey's kindness and a good heart.

\---  
The time of Christmas was close and Mikleo tried his best to make his gift for Sorey as good as possible. He was worried what he's going to do if Sorey takes some days off before holidays and he would miss a chance to hand over the gift. Anyway, he felt anxious to ask the nurse about this personal matter. 

Lucky, the day Mikleo finished his gift, Sorey had the night shift. The familiar brown hairs poked into the crack of Mikleo's doors.

"You are not sleeping." an amused voice declared and as simple as those words were Mikleo's heart started to beat faster from nervousness.   
"Sorey" Mikleo started after clearing his throat "Are you busy now?"  
"Well, I just helped Ange with night toilet and others are sleeping soundly. Is something matter?"

Mikleo shook his head at the sound of concern in Sorey's voice.  
"No. It's nothing important. I won't take you much time either." He leaned down to reach for item hidden under his bed. Sorey made few steps towards the center of the room clearly intrigued. Mikleo slid from bed standing barefoot on the cold tiles and with trembling hands, he raised wreath towards the nurse. For a moment green eyes looked over decoration with a question.

"For you. I don't know if you celebrate the Christmas but I hope you will accept this for... all you have done for me... and friendship you offered to me."  
Sorey's face had brightened up with a big fond smile and without a second thought, his hands reached for the gift.

"Thank you. This is amazing! You have done all symbols from Crimson Sword Knight's legend. I love it!" Sorey breathed with pure awe. Mikleo lowered his eyes hoping to hide at least a bit of embarrassment.   
"It.. it's not that perfect." He answered looking over his work. There was glue in a few places where it shouldn't be, the complex shapes of symbols were kinda messy compared to their originals in Celestial Record.

"Maybe not, it wasn't made by machine but by you. You would need to make things like this for many months before doing it as perfectly as it was in the Celestial Record. Mikleo... you made something from the legend I love. Probably no one else in the world got such thing. I can't voice how happy I'm right now." 

"I.. I see." Mikleo gasped. He stood beside his bed while Sorey extermined his gift. It was a new situation for him so he didn't know what to do next. He didn't expect such an enthusiastic reaction too. 

"But you know Mikleo..." Sorey's words made Mikleo's heart jump uncomfortably inside his chest. He knew it. There was something wrong with his present.

"I'm so sorry. I don't have any gift for you in return. But I'll make it up to you somehow. I promise."  
A big weight fell from Mikleo's heart at those words. Once again the albino shook his head and this time he smiled a little.

"Don't. I would be obligated to you again. I don't want any gift back."  
"But 'thanking' me for being your friend or for my work... It doesn't sound right." Sorey pouted and Mikleo would for sure give up if it wasn't a matter he was very touchy about. He had a chance to thank someone. He would rather prefer to use self-brought materials, but this was the best he could do for the current situation.

"Then it's gift for all time you devoted for me." Mikleo explained again yet Sorey's face told him this wasn't an acceptable answer. The bigger man crossed his arms and pouted even more.

"This also doesn't sound right. I always have a lot of fun while spending time with you."  
"Sorey. I want to thank you. I don't want anything back."

"If you say so... Alright. I rather fight with you for historical theories than this." 

There were so much warmth and happiness in a way Sorey said the last sentence. Mikleo felt flush covering his face more than usual. The nurse just said the simple fact from their shared times, yet it made Mikleo feel strange.

For a moment it looked like Sorey wanted to say something, but then brunette scratched the tip of his nose and smiled shyly. They looked at each other a little awkwardly. Mikleo thank god when Sorey's phone rang and the nurse quickly checked which patient called him.   
"I'm sorry. I had to go."  
"No, it's alright."

Sorey and wreath have disappeared almost immediately. Having nothing else to do Mikleo simply returned to the bed. He read for a while some articles from a Rolance Newspaper, it was free and Eizen always brought a copy for him from first-floor hall while he dropped into the hospital. Mikleo was about to take off his glasses and sleep when, to his surprise, Sorey showed up again.

The man was holding two steaming cups in his hands. One of the surely was a small 'thank' for Mikleo's gift. 

"Honestly."  
Mikleo sighed tiredly giving up. Sorey was just as stubborn as him. At least it wasn't anything expensive. 

"Did they wrote there anything interesting?" Sorey asked innocently like it could draw Mikleo's attention from the second cup.  
"So what you got me as 'no-thanks for my present'?" 

Sorey tried to pout as his lips trembled with held back a smile. Soon both men were openly grinning at each other. 

"Hot chocolate. It will help you sleep better."  
It wasn't the first time when Sorey bought coffee for himself and some drink for Mikleo when they spend nights like this. Usually, Mikleo would return money for his drink, this time he let Sorey have his way. In the end, his own gift supposes to thank the other man, not to argue with him. He will find another way to thank Sorey in future for this hot chocolate. Of course, if time lets him. 

"So, I saw your test results are looking good. When will you leave the hospital?" Sorey asked after setting down on the chair.

"Next week. And you... Are you going somewhere for holidays?"

"Nope. I'm the new one so I have to work during Christmas and New Year. My cousin and some of our friends may drop by at my apartment and we will make a small gift exchange, but that's all." 

There was some sad note Sorey hid behind those words and Mikleo could guess it was something personal. For a longer moment albino wondered what to say or ask but questions couldn't leave his mouth. So Mikleo only stared at the other man who was drinking his coffee with pure bliss. The night was quiet and peaceful. A small LED lamp kept the darkness away from both men. This strange moment lasted until Sorey noticed Mikleo's purple gaze on him. 

"I wish to see my mom and grandpa." the taller man rubbed the back of his neck and chuckled slightly. "It's been a while since I last saw them. But my grandpa had a hip operation a half year ago and it would be dangerous for him to travel so far alone. He lives in Elysia, a pretty but small village two hundred and fifty kilometers away. It's a quiet place, mostly full of farmers. I grow up there. I offered to take some days off to visit him but he answered 'to not'. He doesn't want me to get in trouble or worse, fired."

"Geez, I get Natalie and Daria wanted to finally have some holidays off but one of them could at least take New Year." Mikleo huffed annoyed siding with his friend. At those words, Sorey's face lighted up and he straightened on the chair. His body langue was always like an open book. It was easy to know when Sorey was upset or happy. 

"No worry. I really would love to spend the holidays with my family, but it can't be helped. I will visit him later time. He's in a great relationship with his neighbors and half of the village will probably spend Christmas with him... I know it might sound bad. His own grandson won't visit him. But I know he would be more disappointed if I give up everything and drive back into Elysia. The hospital needs as much staff as possible during the holidays. The only thing I regret is not showing Gramps the gift you made for me. Photos are not enough to show it's amazing details." Sorey waved with his own personal phone where Mikleo's gift was already perfectly shot and ready to send.

"Sorey!" Mikleo whined ashamed while trying to poke the other man into his arm or ribs and make him stop. His attack was successful and the nurse squeak during his bright chuckle. For a moment Sorey tried to move slightly from the range of Mikleo's fingers while he continued his joyful proclamation.

"But it's true. I going to show it to everyone. You even managed to make water symbol too. It's difficult as hell. I can't wait to show it to my mom too once she returns! I bet she will love it." 

"Y... your mom... likes history... too?" Mikleo asked breathlessly from the whole exercise after being encouraged by playful sparks in Sorey's eyes. 

"I love it so she got to like it thanks to my neverending talks."   
After those words, Sorey's body froze like he was hit by some ice spell. His smile dropped and Mikleo wondered if their conversation reminded Sorey of something bad.

"I'm sorry Mikleo. Doctor Uno mentioned you lost both parents in a dramatic way. I didn't ask for details or anything like that." Sorey said softly with a hint of guilt in his voice. "I wanted you to tell me about them on your own... if you would like... one day. " 

"Honestly. You are too honest for your own good, you know?" Mikleo answered. The part of him was still surprised by Sorey's concern and curiosity about his past. It shouldn't be strange. Wasn't he too wondering about Sorey's life? He did. Many times. But it was always so hard to ask. Probably all those anxious feelings were the result of his inexperience in social matters.

"I keep hearing that a lot. Sorry for making you recall some bad memories." Sorey continued his apologies. 

Mikleo sighed while his lips raised into a gentle smile. His heart filled with warmth. How else could he react to Sorey's kindness? The way in which Sorey mentioned his Grandpa and mother only an idiot wouldn't notice how much the brunette cherished them. With Sorey around, it was easier for Mikleo to remember good memories of his family. Their days together. Hours spend on reading before sleep. The love and care they gave him. 

"It's true that my parents died. It's just an ordinary matter, nothing out of the order in the universe. No one can escape the death. I was still a small child when my father was killed in the accident. You probably know from my medical history I was unable to walk for a few years. It also was after effect of that accident. My mom died a few years ago on a heart attack. Thinking about them it's still painful sometimes, but... I'm glad you have a loving family. And you don't have to worry about me." 

Sorey nodded on Mikleo's confession, his expression didn't show any pity, only sadness. The short-haired man waited until the albino took as deep breath as his lungs let him in order to continue. 

"I still have my uncle... and Edna and Eizen. And... I wouldn't mind hearing more about your family... if you want to talk about them." Mikleo gathered all his courage to finally declare his wish. The feelings of worry and peace mixed in his heart and chest until the nurse's eyes lighten up a little.

"Of course I love to talk with you about my family. Usually, I talk about them all the time to the point where people starts to roll eyes when I start my stories so..." Sorey again rubbed the back of his neck clearly nervous.

"As I said it's... okay," Mikleo said quietly hiding face behind the hand.

Sorey nodded more lively this time and he moved on the chair towards the other man. Mikleo fixed himself on the bed to sit better, showing he's ready to listen. 

"So as I said I lived in Elysia..." Sorey started with excitation. "At least until I had to go to the high school. Oh, and it was always me and my mom. She moved back to Elysia after she knew she was pregnant. We lived with Gramps... Uh, I'm messing this up, right?" 

Mikleo shook his head holding back amused smile creeping into his face.

"No, I get the picture. You and your mom lived with your grandpa in Elysia."

"Yes. I don't know my father. I can't say I wasn't curious but I let this matter go. My mom told me he was a soldier. There is a chance he's already dead. We don't know. Anyway, they meet while my mom was working in Africa. He didn't tell her he was already married... and I think my mom always felt sad about trusting him and unintentionally hurting family that guy already had. She told me that she can't be really angry about what happened. 'It was my mistake for not asking around. I should have known he might already have someone, but I fell in love with him. He was nice looking, brave and ambitious even if there were signs of him being merciless towards the enemy.' she said."

"Your mom was a soldier too?" Mikleo asked.   
"No, she's a nurse. Right now she's on a mission in Africa again. I and Gramps worry about her all the time, but she was always like this. Crazy and seeking for danger while helping the others. I admired her ever since I was a small kid so I decided to become a nurse too. As you can guess everyone was surprised when I've sent my application to a medical school."

This story surely explained a lot. Why someone like Sorey who was so knowledgeable about history, architecture and literature like Michael wasn't archeologist or historian? It was always strange for Mikleo. Now he had an answer. 

"You never regret choosing this path?" Mikleo whispered just to realize a moment later how stupid this question was. If he was healthy he would surely follow his uncle's steeps. After this though, he felt even more silly. Sorey did the same. In his case, Sorey just followed his mother's patch. 

"Well, my mom, friends and Gramps are really worried. Still, they support my decision. You know, I can love history while being a nurse. Besides, I'm trying to save money so I could travel from time to time and see the places from The Celestial Record. Maybe one day I would see all of them. And maybe I would discover something that Utanel yet didn't." Sorey ended with a proud smile, yet all Mikleo could feel was a fear for other man's future. His family was so unlucky, their hopes crashed so he prayed for Sorey to get his dreams to come true. 

On the other hand, Sorey's words made him feel small. Small like bug or bacteria.

"You are amazing... Compare to you.. I'm... like a parasite." Mikleo whispered quietly looking over his bed covers.   
"You shouldn't say things like this Mikleo!" 

It was the first time when Mikleo heard an anger in nurses voice. He raised his eyes just to see the hurtful face of his friend.   
"But it's true." The smaller man said lowering his head.  
"It's not. You can't say things like this about yourself. I am not better than you. More, no once I was called a damn self-sacrificing idiot by some people. I'm weak and I'm just trying to be strong like mom or Gramps. And to pay back for some kindness I once got..."

Sorey confession broke after those words. Both men sat in silence once again unsure of what to say next. In Mikleo's mind, Sorey was amazing. Still, it was easy to imagine that some people hated the way the nurse was acting. Like thinking Sorey's kind face was a mask full of lies. Or Sorey was doing all of this to show he's better than others. Most of the people were selfish. Well, Edna and Eizen not once told him how self-concerned people outside the hospital are. How they try to get everything while not giving anything back. And it was getting worse each passing year. Sorey's behavior was alien, not wanted and hated. 

Still, for Mikleo it was the only right way to live a decent life. Being kind to every person sounded too hard but he tried his best for close friends and family. Maybe co-workers too and neighbors if he had them... 

He was sure about one thing. His current life was suffocating him and it wasn't the matter of his damaged lungs. He wanted to do some things for others. To, at least, do laundry for Edna and Eizen. To cook dinner for Michael when the man comes back from his work tired. To give some elegant notebook to doctor Uno for all those years of trying to fix Mikleo's breaking body. To buy something pretty for Lailah. To give Sorey some rare book.

But he couldn't. He didn't even own the bed he was now sitting at.

"I can't run from the truth, Sorey. I haven't left this place for three years, and I was living in the hospital for more than ten years. I'm only deadwood for those I care about." He shouldn't say it. It was better to just keep quiet and cry later while thinking about all those things. Deep in his heart, he prayed for Sorey to leave and not see him in such condition. To preserve some dignity. 

"Mikleo..." Sorey whispered with equally broken and lost voice.

The long-haired man focused his gaze over the cup he got from Sorey. He cursed in his mind for setting up such grim atmosphere. This wasn't nice for Sorey who was using his every free minute to spend it with Mikleo. 

Should he apologize?   
Should he tell Sorey to just forget about his venting? 

Mikleo's throat was again dry and the cup with hot chocolate started to become cold. He should drink it or Sorey might think he doesn't like this small gift too.

When sweet drink filled his mouth Sorey began to speak again.  
"I don't know how it feels to be this sick, but I was able to notice how your girlfriend and her brother deeply cares about you. They wouldn't do such thing if you were only a deadwood to them."

It took Mikleo a moment to fully understand what Sorey said. The image was so shocking he almost split out the whole drink. He forced himself to swallow it in the end. While Mikleo's action saved the quilt from hard-to-clean stains his own body choked with the cold-chocolate drink. Almost immediately Sorey jumped towards him taking the half-empty cup from Mikleo's hands. The nurse's hands clapped his back not too strong, not too soft but enough to help. It was hard to catch a breath, but when Mikleo was able to do it again he almost shouted at the nurse.

"Do you want to kill me?"  
"No! Why would I?" Sorey cried back with fear.

"How could you think Edna is my girlfriend?" Mikleo shouted again, luckily doors to his room were closed or he could wake up some sleeping patients. The green eyes looked at him astonished.

"Because it looks like you two are close? You will spend the holidays with her and she visits you almost every week?" The other man whined with distress at Mikleo's over emotional reaction. 

"God Sorey! Edna is a friend and she's like a sister to me. It would be like dating your bullying, older sister. It would be sick and I...."   
Just then Mikleo realized how he acted at Sorey's simple mistake. He felt how his whole face, ears, and even neck started to become hot from the shame. 

How stupid he was!  
He made fool of himself before Sorey who still stood beside Mikleo's bed with the plastic cup in hand and confused face.

'This is just a bad dream. There isn't a possibility to make yourself such an idiot in front of your only friend.'

If the wall was closer Mikleo would probably want to bang his head into it. One of his hands tried to cover the ashamed face, but it didn't help at all.

"I'm sorry. I don't know why I reacted like this."

His answer calmed down Sorey a little. The other man collapsed back on the chair and took a deep breath of relief which soon changed into a soft chuckle.

"Well, I can imagine how it could feel. Once, someone mistook me and my cousin Rose as a couple too. I think we had a similar reaction... besides chocking on our drinks."

If it was possible to become even more flushed Mikleo would surely do that after such teasing commentary.   
"I... I just... damn..."   
Mikleo held back next emotive response. Friend or not Muze taught him to not be rude to anyone. At least until they really hurt you and Sorey's just looked at him with a stupid and dorky smile, gleaming eyes and beaming happiness. Seeing the other man so very pleased made Mikleo want to poke Sorey's ribs once more. Not waiting too long he decided to put this plan into practice.

"Sorry, sorry." the nurse chuckled again while pretending to evade incoming attacks. For a moment the green eyes were filled with some hopefull sparks, just to disappear when Sorey closed eyelids and shook his head. 

"I should have asked first before jumping into conclusion."  
"You should." Mikleo huffed with his cheeks still flushed. Sorey answered that again with a big grin.

"Anyway, I have to go and check on everyone. I still need to see what we need to replenish in the storage room but it can be done at the end of my shift. If you still won't be sleeping, maybe... you can tell me more about you and your family?" Sorey asked carefully after a small hesitation. 

"...So I won't make any more wrong conclusions in future." 

It was clear that Sorey hid some uncertainty behind his explanation. After hearing so much about the other man's personal matters there was no other way for Mikleo but to agree.  
"It's nothing interesting and... it won't be a long story... but sure."

Sorey nodded with enthusiasm. He grabbed hospital equipment before leaving again.   
Mikleo was quite tired already and even TV couldn't chase away sleep when the night was so peaceful. Anyway, he waited for Sorey's come back. When that happened, as promised, Mikleo started to talk about his childhood. Mostly about his mom and dad. About how Muze was usually a calm person but she could get easily embarrassed. Sorey teased 'it sounds just like you' and albino could only fight with words 'I do not', it didn’t really work. 

After a pause to calm down the smaller man continued his story, this time focusing on his father. He talked about how Luzrov was able to sit behind his desk for hours just to prepare interesting topics for his lessons. How this was the only times when Muze could get angry at him. How he always answered Mikleo's endless questions with a gentle smile. How he never forced Mikleo in any activity he didn't want to do.

When Mikleo mentioned Michael every time he did his best to use the word 'uncle' to describe the man. It was problematic, leaving bad tease in his mouth and hit of guilty inside his stomach. It wasn't like he lied. He simply always separated his uncle and man called Michael Utanel in his conversations with Sorey.

Few times during their chat he'd made a small pause and thought about telling the full truth, but then Sorey had asked about something or mentioned some stuff about his own family, related to their current topic. Mikleo tried to hide his distress in that one matter because the rest of the conversation was so pleasant, so right and cleansing he didn't want it to be over too soon. 

Each time Sorey left to check on the other patients Mikleo waited for his return. The passing minutes felt longer and longer so Mikleo was almost asleep, hanging on the edge of a sweet dream when Sorey came back for the fifth time.

The strong steps paused indoors and Mikleo heard nurse moved towards the lamp standing on the bedstand in order to switch off the light.   
"Sorey..." Mikleo said before he managed to open his tired eyes again.  
"Hey, you should sleep."  
"I will, but I want to tell you one more thing." 

"You can tell me next time." Sorey said softly. The other man looked equally tired. It wasn't a new discovery. Mikleo has not once seen Sorey acting less energetic as his night shift went on.   
"My body works better when I raise up early and staying up during nights is hard for me. Looks like I'm not one of those famous 'owls'." Sorey said to Mikleo around a month ago.

Guilty for not telling Sorey truth about his beloved writer was big, but the idea of bothering the other man was bigger.

"On Thursday," Mikleo said. At those words, Sorey strangely and slowly raised up his hand with a clenched fist. It didn't look like nurse have done that to stretch his muscles.   
"On Thursday." The nurse repeated, yet he didn't lower his arm. Mikleo wasn't sure what to do so he asked first.

"Is this what they call 'turtle bump'?"  
The room filled with Sorey's gentle chuckle.   
"Well, you can call it like this if you want. But I thought, as friends we should have our special way to seal our promises."

"Honestly, it's childish." The albino answered with anew blush on his face. The feeling of warmth embraced him like a mother hugs her kid and he raised his own hand to bump it against Sorey's.  
"Okay, so see you on Thursday, if I won't see you before my shift will be over." Sorey said after they 'sealed' the promise.  
"Yes, see you later."

Sorey leaned to turn off the light and like always he left Mikleo's room.   
The purple-eyed man sighed loudly into the darkness of night. There was the only wish in his sleepy mind.   
Hope that Sorey won't break their friendship after knowing Mikleo wasn't always one hundred percent honest with him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for being so late. As always life is ungrateful thing and I had problem with finding free time. And when my free from work week came sormik week also came and I wanted to draw for it. That's why I couldn't finish what I already had written. This chapter is longer than last one. I set up few matters I wanted in it. I can't tell when the next one will show up, but I'm happy with still seeing people are interested in this story.
> 
> Oh, and if you want to see pictures for sormik week I made I always post those kinds of works on my tumblr: http://karereiko.tumblr.com/


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